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CHRISTIAN  RESEARCHES 


IN 


ASIA: 

KITH    NOTICES 


OF    THE 


TRANSLATION   OF    THE    SCRIPTURES 


INTO    THE 


©rteiital  languages. 


'•  Aiitl  I  saw  another  Angelfly  m  the  micUt  of  neaveii,  having  the 
KVERLASTING  GOSPEL  to  preach  unto  Uiera  tliat  dwell  on  the 
1  'a>  ti),  and  to  eycry  n^)|i^0^q^§n^^l^^||^oQgue,  and  people." 

Rev.  xiv.  6- 


Rev.  CLAUDre«=*»6»5NAN,  D.  D 


LATE  VICE  PUOVOST  0»  THE  COIiLEGE  OF  FORT  WILLIAM  IN  BENGAL, 
AND    iMEMBER   OF   THE    ASIATIC    SOCIETY. 


FIFTH  EDITION. 
LONDON • 

Fvbitcd  by  (i.  Sidney,  XorthuTpberland-stred  ; 
FOit   T.  CADELL    AND    W.  DAVIES,   I>f    THE    STRANO. 


X7-^'y 


,/ 


CONTENTS 


Page 

Introduction — The  Callege  of  Fort-William 1 

The  ChixNBSe 10 

The   Hindoos 17 

Juggernaut    ,••• • • IS) 

Proceedings  of  the  East  India  Company,  conceraing 

Juggernaut 33 

Immolation  of  Females  39 

Hindoo  Infanticide *.....'«•»...     46 

letters  of  King  George  I.  to  the  Missionaries 60 

Tranquebar  , 65 

Tanjore 70 

Tritchinopoly  79 

Versions  of  tlu  Scriptures  for  the  Hindoos S2 

The  Shanscrit  School  »,...., , 85 

The  Ceylonesb  89 

The  Malays 96 

The  Syrian  Christians  in  India  106 

Heading  the  Scriptures  to  the  People   favourable  to 

the  perpetuity  of  a  Church 122 

The  Malabar  Bible 142 

Syriac  Bible  143 

Romish  Christians  in  India  145 

Inquisition  at  Goa  ,,i,, • 150 


CONTENTS 

Page 

Versions  of  the  Scriptures  for  the  Romish  Christians  I'JC* 

The  Persians  1?^ 

The  Arabians 188 

The  Conversion  of  Sabat  IDf) 

The  Arabic  School  for  the  Translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures   205 

The  Jews  in  Asia  LMO 

Their  MSS.  of  the  Scriptures  22/ 

The  Ten  Tribes  234 

Restoration  of  the  Jews  239 

Versions  of  the  Scriptures  for  the  Jews  2-iG 

Bibliotheca  Biblica  in  Bengal  205 

The  Armenians  , 255 

Vestiges  of  the  Doctrines  of  Revelation  261 

Ecclesiastical  Establishment  for  British  India  .......  270 

Letter  on   this- subject  from  Dr.  Watson,  bishop  of 

Llandaif,  to  the  Author  28« 

Conclusion 2'M 

A  List  of  WttUKs  on  the  Civilization  of  the  East ; 
being  the  compositions  whicli  gained  the  Vihcs,  or 
were  presented  to  the  Universities  in  pompetition 

for  tho  Piwes^  instituted  by  Dr.  Buchanan  297 


CHRISTIAN    RESEARCHES, 

IN    ASIA. 


IN  his  late  Discourses  before  the  University  of 
Cambridge,  the  Author  noticed  incidentally  some 
general  circumstances  of  the  darkness  of  Pagan- 
ism, and  of  the"  means  which  are  now  employed 
to  diffuse  the  light  of  Christianity  in  the  East. 
This  awakened  a  desire  in  some  Members  of  that 
learned  Body  to  know  the  particulars;  for  if 
there  were  a  just  expectation  of  success,  and  if 
the  design  were  conducted  in  consonance  willi 
the  principles  and  order  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, it  might  be  a  proper  subject  for  their  coun- 
tenance and  co-operation.  A  more  detailed  ac- 
count, therefore,  will  probably  be  read  with  in- 
terest. Many,  doubtless,  will  rejoice  to  see  the 
stream  of  Divine  knowledge  and  civilization 
flowing  to  the  utmost  ends  of  the  earth.  And 
even  those  who  have  hitherto  heard  of  the  pro- 
gress of  Christianity  with  little  concern,  may  b^ 
induced  to  regard  it  with  a  humane  solicitude. 


s  fntroT»ttct(an. 

In  the  College  of  Fort-William  in  Bengal, 
there  was  a  department  for  translating  the  Scrip- 
tures into  the  Oriental  languages ;  and,  so  early 
as  1805,  (the  fifth  year  of  its  institution)  a  com- 
mencement had  been  made  in  certain  languages. 
The  first  version  of  any  of  the  Gospels  in  the 
Persian  and  Hindostanee  tongues  which  were 
printed  in  India,  issued  from  the  Press  of  the 
College  of  Fort-WiUiam.  The  Persian  was  su- 
perintended by  Lieut.-Colonel  Colebrooke,  and 
the  Hindostanee  by  William  Hunter,  Esq.  The 
Gospels  were  translated  into  the  Malay  lan- 
guage by  Thomas  Jarrett,  Esq.  of  the  Civil 
Service. — The  principal  Oriental  translator,  in 
the  Persian  department,  was  Mirza  Fitrut,  a 
native  of  the  dominions  of  the  Great  Moghul; 
and  the  head  translator,  in  the  Hindu  depart- 
ment, was  Meer  Buhador  Ulee,  a,  Hindu. 

The  College  was  founded  on  the  4th  of  May, 
\  800.  After  it  had  flourished  for  almost  seven 
years,  during  which  period  it  produced  nearly 
one  hundred  volumes  in  Oriental  literature,*  the 
Court  of  Directors  resolved  on  reducing  the 
establishment  within  narrower  limits,  on  the  1st 
of  January,  1807.     In  consequence  of  this  mea- 


.    *  See  ''  First  Four  Years  of  the  College  of  Fort-William  ;*' 
p.  219.     Cadell  and  Davies. 


gntrotructton.        _  s 

sure,  the  translations  of  the  Scriptures  and  some 
other  literary  works  were  suspended.^' 

*  Establishment  of  the  College  of  Fori  William. 
Marquis  Weliesley Visitor. 

Rev.  David  Brown, * , .  Provost. 

Rev.  Claudius  Buchanan, Vice  Provost. 

Members  of  the  College  Council. 

The  Provost  and  Vice  Prpvost  3  the  Hon.  Henry  Weliesley, 
Sir  George  Barlow,  Bart.  J.  H.  Colebrooke,  Esq.  and  J.  H. 
Harington,  Esq. 

Charles  Rolhman,  Esq. — Secretary  to  the  College  Council, 

Professors. 

3.  H.  Colebrooke,  Esq Shanscrit. 

Francis  Gladwin,  Esq.         -| 

N.  B.  Edmonstone,  Esq.      >. . . .  Persian. 

Matthew  Lumsden,  Esq.    -^ 

Capt.  John  BailHe, Arabic. 

John  Gilchrist,  Esq.  "^ 

Capt.  James  Mouat,  >. . . .  Hindostanee. 

Lieut.  Macdougall,  J 

Rev.  W.  Carey, Bengalee. 

Rev,  N.  Poezold, Tamul. 

T  TT  TT    •     i       T-  S  Laws  and  Regulations 

J.  H.  Harnigton,  Esq ^     ^^  ,^^  Company. 

Rev.  C.  Buchanan, Greek  and  Latin  Classics. 

Dr.  James  Dinwiddie, Mathematics. 

Mr.  Du  Plessy, French. 

W. Hunter,  Esq.M.D. Examiner  in  Persia  and  Hindostanee. 

NATIVE  TEACHERS. 

Pundits,  Moulvees^  and  Moonshees,  50  and  upwards. 
P>  S 


6  fiitroauction. 

Under  these  circumstances  the  Superintendants 
of  the  college  resolved  to  encourage  individuals  to 
proceed  with  their  versions  by  such  means  as  they 
could  command;  and  to  trust  to  the  contributions 
of  the  public,  and  to  the  future  sanction  of  the 
Government,  for  the  perpetuity  of  the  design. 
They  purposed,  at  the  same  time,  not  to  confine 
the  undertaking  to  Bengal  alone,  or  to  the  terri- 
tories of  the  Company  ;  but  to  extend  it  to  every 
part  of  the  East,  where  fit  instruments  for  trans- 
lation could  be  found.  With  this  view,  they 
aided  the  designs  of  the  Baptist  Missionaries  in 
Bengal,  of  the  Lutheran  Missionaries  in  Coro- 
mandel,  belonging  to  "  the  Society  for  promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,"  and  of  the  other  Mission- 
aries in  the  East,  connected  with  Societies  in 
England  and  Scotland  :  and  also  patronised  those 
Roman  Catholic  Missionaries  in   the   South  of 


that  there  are  now  two  institutions  instead  of  one.  His  Lord- 
ship proposed  that  the  two  institutions  should  be  in  India  com- 
bined in  one,  and  his  reasons  were,  that  the  organs  of  speech 
in  youlh  are  more  flexible  at  an  early  age  for  learning  a  new 
language  :  and  that  the  constitution  of  young  persons  assimilates 
more  easily  to  a  strange  climate.  There  are  various  advantages, 
however,  in  having  the  elementary  Institution  at  home,  which 
may  counterbalance  these  reasons  j  and  if  it  continue  to  be  con* 
ducted  with  the  same  spirit  and  effect  which  have  hitherto  dis- 
tingulslicd  it,  I  think  that  the  present  plan  is  preferable. 


fntratruction/  7 

India  whom  they  found  qualified  for  conducting 
useful  works.  About  the  same  period  they  ex- 
erted themselves  in  circulating  proposals  for  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptilres  into  the  Oriental 
Languages,  by  the  Baptist  Missionaries  in  Ben- 
gal, and  in  promoting  subscriptions  for  that 
object  by  all  the  means  in  their  power;  and  when 
it  was  proposed  to  the  Governor-General  (Lord 
Minto,  then  just  arrived)  to  suppress  this  Mis- 
sion, a  memorial  was  addressed  to  the  Govern- 
ment in  its  behalf. 

In  order  to  obtain  a  distinct  view  of  the  state 
of  Christianity  and  of  Superstition  in  Asia,  the 
Superintendants  of  the  College  had,  before  this 
period,     entered   into  correspondence  with  in- 
telligent    persons  in   different  countries  ;   and 
from  every  quarter,   (even  from  the  confines  of 
China)  they  received  encouragement  to  proceed. 
But,  as   contradictory  accounts   were  given  by 
different  writers,  concerning  the  real  state  of  the 
numerous  tribes  in  India,  both  of  Christians  and 
Natives,   the  Author  conceived   the  design  of 
devoting  the  last  year  or  two  of  his  residence  in 
the  East,  to  purposes  of  local  examination  and 
inquiry.     With  this  view,  he  travelled  through 
•the  Peninsula   of  India  by  land,   from  Calcutta 
to  Cape  Comorin,  a  continent  extending  through 
fourteen  degrees  of 'latitude,  and  visited  Ceylon 


thrice.      And  he  soon  disqovered  that  a  person 
may  reside  all  his  life  in  Bengal,  and  yet  know 
almost  as  little  of  other  countries  in  India,    for 
instance,  of  Travancore,  Ceylon,  Goa,  or  Madura, 
of  their  manners,   customs,  habits  and  religion, 
as  if  he  had  never  left  England.''*'     The  principal 
objects  of  this  tour,  were  to  investigate  the  state 
of  Superstition  at  the  most  celebrated  Temples  of 
the  Hindoos  ;    to  examine  the  Churches  and  li- 
braries of  the  Romish,  Syrian,  and  Protestant 
Christians,    to   ascertain  tlie  present  state   and 
recent  history  of  the  Jews  in  the  East  ;  and  to 
discover  what  persons  might  be  fit  instruments 
for  the  promotion  of  learning  in  th^ir  respective 
countries,  and  for  maintaining  a  future   corres- 
pondence on  the  subject  of  disseminating  the 
Scriptures  in  India.     In  pursuance  of  these  ob- 
jects, the  Author  visited  Cuttack,  Ganjarn,  Visa- 
gapatam,  Samulcotta,  Rajamundry,  EUore,  On- 
gole,  Nellore,  Madras,  JVIailapoor,  Pondipherry, 
Cudalore,  Tranquebar,  Tanjore,   Trjtchinopoly, 
Aughoor,  Madura,  Palamcotta,  Ramnad,  Jaffna.- 
patam,  Columbo,  Manaar,  Tutecorin,  Angengo, 


•*  Of  the  Books  published  in  Britain  on  the  discussion  re- 
lating to  Missions  and  the  state  of  India^  the  most  sensible  and 
authentic  are,  in  general,  those  written  by  learned  men  of  Ui^ 
IJniversities  who  hav.e  aever  h^en  in  the  East. 


Quilon,  Cochin,  Cranganor,  Verapoli,  Calicu^^*"*^ 
Tellichery,  Goa,  the  Pirate  coast,  and  other 
places  between  Cape  Comorin  and  Bombay ;  the 
interior  of  Travancore,  and  the  interior  of  Mala- 
bar; also  seven  principal  Terhples  of  the  Hin- 
doos, viz.  Seemachaium  in  the  Telinga  country, 
Chillumbrum,  Seringham,  Madura,  Rarnisseram, 
Elephanta,  and  Juggernaut, 

After  this  tour,  the  Author  returned  to  Cal- 
cutta, where  he  remained  about  three  quarters  of 
a  year  longer ;  and  then  visited  the  Jews  and  the 
Syrian  Christians  in  Malabar  and  Travancore  a 
second  time  before  his  return  to  England. 

Those  nations  or  communities  for  whom 
translations  of  the  Scriptures  have  been  commenced 
under  the  patronage  or  direction  already  alluded 
to,  are  the  following  t  the  Chinese,  the  Hin- 
doos, the  Cingalese  or  Ceylonese,  the  Malays, 
the  Syrian  Christians,  the  Romish  Christians, 
the  Persians,  the  Arabians,  and  the  Jews.  Of 
these  it  is  proposed  to  give  some  account  in 
their  order. 


io  Cl)rfettan  me0eai:cl)e0 


THE  CHINESE. 

In  the  discussions  concerning  the  promulgation 
of  Christianity,  soiiie  writers  have  confined  their 
views  entirely  to  India,  merely,  it  is  supposed, 
because  India  is  connected,  by  political  relation, 
with  Great  Britain,  India  however  contains  but 
a  small  part  of  the  nations  which  seek  the  Re- 
velation of  God.  The  Malayan  Archipelago 
includes  more  territory  and  a  larger  population 
than  the  Continent  of  India.  China  is  a  more 
extensive  field  than  either;  and  is,  in  some 
respectSj  far  i  more  important.  The  Romish 
Church  has  maintained  a  long  and  ineffectual 
contest  with  that  empire ;  because  it  would  never 
give  .the  people,  "  the  good  and  perfect  jgift," 
the  Bible.  It  further  degraded  the  doctrine  of 
the  Cross  by  blending  it  with  Pagan  rite;s* 

The  means  of  obtaining  a  version  of  the  Scrip- 
tures in  the  Chinese  language,  occupied  the  minds 
of  the  Provost  and  Vice  Provost  of  the  college  of 
Fort-William,  at  an  early  period.  It  appeared  to 
them  an  object  of  the  utmost  importance  to  pro- 
cure an  erudite  Professor,  who  should  undertake 


siiclV  a  work :  for,  if  but  a  single  copy  of  the 
"Scriptures  could  be  introduced  into  China,  they 
might  be  transcribed'  in  almost  every  part  of 
that  immense  Empire.  Another  obje(>t  in  view 
was  to  introduce  some  knowledge  of  the  Cliinese 
Language  among  ourselves  ;  for  although  the 
Chinese  Forts  on  the  Tibet  frontier  overlook  the 
Company's  territories  in  Bengal,  there  was  not 
a  person,  it  was  said,  in  the  Company's  service 
in  India,  who  could  read  a  common  Chinese 
letter. 

After  much  inquiry  they  succeeded  in  procu- 
ring Mr.  Joannes  .  Las-sar,  an  ^Armenian  'Chris- 
tian, a  native  of  China,  and  a  proficient  in  the 
Chinese  Language,  who  had  been  en^ployed  by 
the  Portuguese  at  Macao^  in  conducting  their 
official  correspondence  with  the  Court-of  Pekin-. 
He  was  willing" to, r^inquTgh'  hi-s  tomriiercial 
pursuits,  and  to  attach  himself  to  the  college,  for 
a  salary  of  ^450  ^  year.  But  as  the  order  for 
reducing  tlie  establishment  of  the  college  was 
daily  expected,  this  salary  could  not  be  given 
him.  The  object  however  was  so  important,  and 
Mr.  Lassar  appeared  to  be  so  well  qualified  to 
execute  it,  that  they  thought  fit  to  retain  him 
at  the  above  stipend  in  a  pdvate  cbaracteri'-  He 
entered  immediately  on  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  into  .the  Chinese  Language,  and  thiis 


12  C|)rfettan  m^mt^ts 

work  h^e  has  continued  to  cany  on  to  tl>c  pre- 
sent time.  Butjs  ^s  his  services  might  be  made 
otherwise  useful,  they  fCtsolved  to  establish  a 
clas$  of  youths  under  hh  tuition  ;  and  as  they 
could  not  obtain  the  young  civil  servants  of 
the  Company  for  this  purpose,  they  proposed 
to  the  Baptist  Missionaries  that  Mr.  Lassar 
should  reside  at  Serampore,  which  is  near  Cal- 
cutta, on  the  following  condition  ;  ^hat  one  of 
their  elder  Missionaries,  and  three  at  least  of 
their  youths,  should  immediately  engage  in  the 
study  of  the  Chinese  Language.  Dr.  Carey 
declined  the  offer,  but  Mr.  Marshman  accepted 
it,  and  was  joined  by  two  sons  of  his  own,  and 
a  son  of  Dr.  Carey ;  and  they  have  prosecuted 
their  studies  with  unremitted  attention  for  about 
five  years. 

In  the  year  1807,  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  of 
St.  Matthew  in  the  Chinese  Language,  translated 
by  Mr.  Lassar,  and  beautifully  written  by  him- 
self, was  transmitted  to  his  Grace  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  for  the  Lambeth  Library, 
as  the  FIRST  fruits  of  the  Chinese  Institution 
in  Bengal. — Since  that  period  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  New  Testament  has  been  printed 
off  from  blocks,  after  the  Chinese  manner. 

The  proficiency  of  the  Chinese  pupils  has  far 
surpassed  the  most  sanguine  hopes  which  were 


entertained.  His  Excellency  Lord  iVIiivto, 
Governor-General  of  India,  in  his  first  annua! 
Speech  to  the  College  of  Fort-WilHam,  has 
recorded  the  following  testimony  to  their  pro- 
gress in  the  language,  and  to  the  importance  of 
their  attainments. 


*'  If  I  have  not  passed  beyond  the  legitimate  bounds 
"  of  this  discourse,  in  ranging  to  the  extremity  of  those 
"countries,  and  to  the  furthest  island  of  that  vast 
"  Archipelago  in  which  the  Malay  Language  prevails, 
"  J  shall  scarcely  seem  to  transgress  them,  by  the  short 
"  and  easy  transition  thence  to  the  language  of  China. 
*^  I  am,  in  truth,  strongly  inclined,  whether  regularly 
"  or  not,  to  deal  one  encouraging  word  to  the  merito- 
"  rious,  and,  I  hope,  not  unsuccessful  effort,  making, 
"  I  may  say,  at  the  door  of  our  College,  though  not 
*^  admitted  to  its  portico,  to  force  that  hitherto  impreg- 
**  nable  fortress,  the  Chinese  Language. — Three  young 
"  men,  I  ought  indeed  to  say,  boys,  have  not  only 
^'  acquired  a  ready  use  of  the  Chinese  Language,  for 
^  the  purpose  of  oral  communication  (which  I  under- 
**  stand  is  neither  difficult  nor  rare  amongst  Europeans 
"  connected  with  China)  but  they/have  achieved,  in  a 
^  degree  worthy  of  admiration,  that  which  has  been 
^*  deemed  scarcely  within  the  reach  of  European  facul- 
^^  ties  or  industry;  I  mean  a  very  extensive  and  correct 
"  acquaintance  with  the  written  Language  of  China. 
"  I  will  not  detail  the  particulars  of  the  Examination 
*f  which  took  place  on  the  10th  of  this  month  (Febru- 


"  ary,  1808,)  at  Serampore,  in  the  Chinese  Language, 
*^  the  report  of  which  I  have  read,  however,  with  great 
"  interest,  and  recommended  to  the  liberal  notice  of 
"  those  whom  I  have  the  honour  to  address.  It  is 
•'  enough  for  my  present  purpose  to  say  that  these  young 
"  pupils  read  Chinese  books  and  translate  them  ;  and 
"  they  write  compositions  of  their,  own  in  the  Chinese 
*^  Language  and  character.  A  Chinese  Press  too  is 
"  established^^  and  in  actual  use.  In  a  word,  if  the 
^*  founders  and  supporters  of  this  little  College  have  not 
*^'  yet  dispelled,  they  have  at  least  sent,  and  admitted 
^-^  a  dawn  of  day  through  that  thick  impenetrable  cloud : 
*^  they  have  passed  that  Occanum  dissociabilem^  which 
^^  for  so  many  ages  has  insulated  that  vast  Ettipire  from 
''  the  rest  of  mankind. 

"  I  must  not  omit  to  commend  the  zealous  and  per- 
'^  severing  labours  of  Mr.  Lassar,  and  of  those  learned 
'^  and  pious  persons  associated  with  him,  who  have 
"  accomplished,  for  the  future  benefit,  we  may  hope, 
'■'  of  that  immense  and  populous  region,  Chinese  Ver- 
"  SIGNS  in  the  Chinese  Character,  of  the  Gospels 
"  of  Matthew,  INIark,  and  Luk6,  throwing  open  that 
"  precious  mine,  with  all  its  religious  and  moral  trea- 
''  sure,  to  the  largest  associated  population  in  the 
*•  world."* 

When  this  Chinese  class  was  first  established, 
it  was  ordained   that   tliere  should  be  regular 


*  See  Collfge  Report  for  ]  808. 


re^pectinff  t\)t  CI)ine2e^  1 5 

public  Examinations  and  Disputations,  as  at 
the  College  of  Fort-Wiliiam.  The  excimination 
in  September,  1808,  (a  few  months  after  the 
above  Speech  of  Lord  Minto  was  pronounced) 
was  held  in  the  presence  of  J.  H.  Harington, 
Esq.  Vice-President  of  the  Asiatic  Society,  Dr. 
Ley  den,  and  other  Oriental  scholars  ;  when  the 
three  youths,  mentioned  above,  maintained  a 
Disputation  in  the  Chinese  Language.  On  this 
occasion,  the  Respondent  defended  the  follow- 
ing position  :  "  To  commit  to  memory  the  Chi- 
"  nese  Classics  is  the  best  mode  of  acquiring 
**  the  Chinese  Language." 

One  most  valuable  effect  of  these  measures 
is  a  work  just  published  by  Mr.  Joshua  Marsh- 
man,  the  elder  pupil  of  Mr.  Lassar.  It  is  the 
first  volume  of  "  the  Works  of  Confucius,  coi>- 
*'  taining  the  Original  Text,  with  a  transla- 
"  tion  ;  to  which  is  prefixed  a  Dissertation  on 
'^  the  Chinese  Language,  pp.  877,  4 to."  to  be 
followed  by  four  volumes  more.  This  trans- 
lation will  be  received  with  gratitude  by  the 
learned,  and  will  be  considered  as  a  singular 
monument  of  the  indefatigable  labour  of  an 
English  Missionary  in  the  acquisition  of  a  new 
language. 

While  treating  of  the  cultivation  of  the  Chi- 
nese Language,  itj^s  just  that  we  should  notice 


1 6  Ct)rtstiEn  Eesearcl^es 

also  the  endeavours  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society  in  the  same  department.  While  Mr. 
Lassar  and  Mr.  Marshnian  are  translating  the 
Scriptures  at  Calcutta,  Mr.  Morrison  is  pro- 
eecuting  a  similar  work  at  Canton  in  China, 
with  the  aid  of  able  native  scholars.  It  is 
stated  in  the  report  of  their  Society,  that  the 
principal  difficulties  have  been  surmounted,  and 
that  the  period  of  his  acquiring  a  complete 
knowledge  of  the  language  is  by  no  means  sO 
distant  as  what  he  once  expected.  "  It  has 
*^  proved  of  great  advantage  to  him  that  he 
"  copied  and  carried  out  with  him  the  Chinese 
"  translation  of  the  Gospels  preserved  in  the 
*'  British  Museum,  which  he  now  finds,  from 
"  his  own  increasing  acquaintance  with  the 
^*  language,  and  the  opinion  of  the  Chinese 
*'  assistants,  to  be  exceedingly  valuable,  and 
*'  which  must,  from  the  excellency  of  the  style, 
*^  have  been  produced  by  Chinese  natives." — 
He  adds,  that  the  manuscript  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament is  fit  to  be  printed  ;  and  that  he  pro- 
poses to  publish  also  a  Dictionary  and  a  Gram- 
mar of  the  language,  the  last  of  which  is  al- 
ready "  prepared  for  the  press."*  The  expense 
to  the  London  Missionary  Society  for  the  cur- 

^  See  their  Report {or^lO,  p.  22. 


respecting  tl)e  E)mlrao0.  17 

rent  year,  in  the  Chinese  department  alone, 
is  stated  to  be  ^500.  We  greatly  admire  the 
liberal  spirit  which  animates  this  institution, 
in  the  prosecution  of  its  noble  designs. 

The  foregoing  notices  of  the  progress  of  Chi- 
nese literature  will,  it  is  presumed,  be  accept- 
able to  many  ;  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Chi- 
nese language,  considered  merely  in  a  political 
point  of  view,  must  prove  of  the  utmost  ad- 
vantage to  this  country,  in  her  further  trans- 
actions with  that  ancient  and  ingenious,  but 
jealous,  incommunicative,  and  partially  civilized 
nation. 


THE  HINDOOS. 

It  is  admitted  by  all  writers  that  the  civili- 
zation of  the  Hindoos  will  be  promoted  by 
intercourse  with  the  English.  But  this  only 
applies  to  that  small  portion  of  the  natives, 
who  live  in  the  vicinity  of  Europeans,  and  mix 
with  them.  As  for  the  bulk  of  the  population, 
they  scarcely  ever  see  an  Englishman.  It  be- 
comes then  of  importance  "  to  ascertain  what 
"  have  been  the  actual  effects  of  Christianity 
*'  in   those    interior    provinces   of    Hindostan, 

c 


18  Ci)ri5tiau  MmmtW 

"  where  it  has  been  introduced  by  the  Christian 
*'  Missionaries;  and  to  compare  them  with  such 
*'  of  their  countrymen  as  remain  in  their  pristine 
**  Idolatry."  It  was  a  chief  object  of  the  Au- 
thor's tour  through  India,  to  mark  the  relative 
influence  of  Paganism  and  Christianity.  In 
drder  then  that  the  English  nation  may  be  able 
to  form  a  judgement  on  this  subject,  he  will 
proceed  to  give  some  account  of  the  Hindoos  of 
Juggernaut,  and  of  the  native  Christians  in 
Tanjore.  The  Hindoos  of  Juggernaut  have  as 
yet  had  no  advantages  of  Christian  instruction  : 
and  continue  to  worship  the  Idol  called  Jug- 
gernaut. The  native  Christians  of  Tanjore, 
until  the  light  of  revelation  visited  them,  wor-' 
shipped  an  Idol  also,  called  the  great  Black  Bull 
.of  Tanjore.  And,  as  in  this  brief  work  the 
Author  chiefly  proposes  to  state  merely  what  he 
himself  has  seen,  with  little  comment,  or  obser- 
vation, it  will  suffice  to  give  a  few  extracts 
from  the  Journal  of  his  tour  through  these  Pro- 
vinces. 


vt^putms  tf)t  Jj)mtiaas.  19 


Extracts  from  the  Autiiou's  Journal  in  his 
Tour  to  the  Temple  of  Juggernaut  in  Orissa, 
in  the  year  1806. 

^  jpuddruck  in  Orissa,  May  dOth,  1 80G. 

'  We  know  that  we  are  approaching  Juggernaut  (and 
yet  we  are  more  than  fifty  miles  from  it)  by  the  liuman 
boije&  which  we  have  seen  for  some  days  strewed  by  the 
way.  At  this  place  we  liave  been  joined  by  several 
large  bodies  of  pilgrims,  perhaps  2000  in  number^  who 
have  come  from  various  parts  of  Northern  India.  Some 
of  them,  with  whom  I  have  conversed,  say  that  they 
have  been  two  months  on  their  march  travelling  slowly 
in  the  hottest  season  of  the  year,  with  their  w  ives  and 
children.  Some  old  persons  are  among  them  who  wish 
to  dje  at  Juggernaut.  Numbers  of  pilgrims  die  on  the 
road  ;  and  their  bodies  generally  remain  unburied.  On 
a  plain  by  the  river,  near  the  Pilgrim's  Caravansera  at 
this  place,  there  are  more  than  a  hundred  skulls.  The 
dogs,  jackals,  and  vultures,  seem  to  live  here  on  human 
prey.  The  vultures  exhibit  a  shocking  tameness.  The 
obscene  animals  will  not  leave  the  body  sometimes  till 
we  come  close  to  them.  This  Buddruck  is  a  horrid 
place.  Whereyer  J  turn  my  eyes,  I  meet  death  in  some 
shape  or  other.  Surely  Juggernaut  cannot  be  worse 
than  Buddruck.' 


20  ctrtstian  iaeseatcl)es( 


*  In  siglit  of  Juggernauty  \2th  June,  1806. 

^ Many  thousands  of  pilgrims  have  accompanied 

us  for  some  days  past.  They  cover  the  road  before  and 
behind  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach.  At  nine  o'clock  this 
morning,  the  temple  of  Juggernaut  appeared  in  view 
at  a  great  distance.  When  the  multitude  first  saw  it, 
they  gave  a  shout,  and  fell  to  the  ground  and  worshipped. 
I  have  heard  nothing  to-day  but  shouts  and  acclamations 
l)y  the  successive  bodies  of  pilgrims.  From  the  place 
where  I  now  stand  I  have  a  view  of  a  host  of  people 
like  an  army,  encamped  at  the  outer  gate  of  the  town 
of  Juggernaut  :  where  a  guard  of  soldiers  is  posted  to 
prevent  their  entering  the  town,  until  they  have  paid 
the  pilgrim's  tax. — I  passed  a  devotee  to  day  who  laid 
himself  down  at  every  step,  measuring  the  road  to  Jug- 
gernaut, by  the  length  of  his  body,  as  a  penance  of  merit 
to  please  the  God.' 


*  Outer  Gate  of  Juggernaut,  \2thJune,  ISOG. 

< A  disaster  has  just  occurred.— As  I  approached 

the  gate,  the  pilgrims  crowded  from  all  quarters  around 
me,  and  shouted,  as  they  usually  did  when  I  passed  them 
on  the  road,  an  expression  of  welcome  and  respect.  I 
was  a  little  alarmed  at  their  number,  and  loolied  round 


respecting  tl)e  ^mtioos*  2 1 

for  my  guard.     A  guard  of  soldiers  had  accompanied  me 
from  Cuttack,  the  last   military  station  5  but  they  were 
now  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  behind  with  my  servants 
and  the  baggage.     The  pilgrims  cried  out  that  they  were 
entitled   to  some  indulgence,  that  they  were  poor,  that 
they  could  not  pay  the  tax  ;  but  I  was  not  aware  of  their 
design.     At  this   moment,    when   I  was  within   a  few 
yards   of   the   gate,    an   old   Sanyassee    (or  holy   man) 
who  had  travelled  some  days  by  the   side  of  my  horse, 
came  up  and  said,  ^  Sir   you  are  in  danger ;  the  peopl* 
are  going  to  rush  through  the  gate  when  it  is  opened  for 
you.^     I  immediately  dismounted,  and  endeavoured  to 
escape  to  one  side  ;  but  it  was  too  late.      The   mob  was 
now  in  motion,  and  with   a  tumultuous   shout  pressed 
violently  towards  the  gate.     The  guard  within  seeiqg  my 
danger  opened  it,  and  the   multitude  rushing  through, 
carried  me  forward  in  the  torrent  a  considerable  space  ; 
so  that  I   was  literally  borne  into  Juggernaut  by  the 
Hindoos  themselves.     A  distressing  scene  followed,     As 
the  number  and  strength  of    the  mob  increased,   the 
narrow  way  was  choaked  up  by  the  mass  of  people  ;  and 
1  apprehended  that  many  of  them  would  have  been  suffo- 
cated, or   bruised  to  death.     My  horse   was  yet  among 
them.     But  suddenly  one  of  the  side  posts  of  the  gate, 
which   was  of    wood,  gave  way  and  fell  to  the  ground. 
And  perhaps  this  chcumstance  alone  prevented  the  loss 
of  lives.      Notice  of  the  event  was  immediately  commu- 
nicated to  Mr.  Hunter,    the     superintendant    of    the 
temple,  who  repaired  to  the  spot,  and  sent  an  additional 
guard  to  the  inner  gale,  lest  the  people  should  force  that 
also  ;  for  there  Is  an  outer,  and  an  inner  gate  to  the  town 


22  €\)xMim  i^eseaicljes 

• 

of  Juggernaut;  but  both  of  them  are  slightly  con- 
structed. -Mr.  Hunter  told  me  that  similar  accidents 
sometimes  occur,  and  that  many  have  been  crushed  to 
death,  by  the  pressure  of  the  mob.  He  added,  that 
sometimes  a  body  of  pilgrims,  (consisting  chiefly  of 
women  and  children,  and  old  men)  tiiisting  to  the  phy- 
sical weight  of  their  mass,  v^ill  rii^ke,  what  he  called, 
a  charge  on  the  armed  guards,  atid  overwhelm  them ; 
the  guards  not  being  willing,  in  such  circumstances,  to 
oppose  their  bayonets.*' 


^^  JuggeiiWLut,  I4thjun€,  1806*. 

* 1  have  seen  Juggernaut.  The  scene  atBuddruck 

is  but  the  vestibule  to  Juggernaut.  No  record  of  ancient 
or  modern  history  can  give,  I  think,  an  adequate  idea  of 
this  valley  of  death ;  it  may  be  truly  compared  with  the 
"  valley  of  Hinnom."  The  idol  called  Juggernaut,  has 
been  considered  as  the  Moloch  of  the  present  age  ;  and 
he  is  justly  so  named,  for  the  sacrifices  offered  up  to 
him  by  self-devotement,  are  not,  less  criminal,  perhaps 
not  less  ni^merpus,  than  those  recorded  of  the  Moloch 
of  Canaan.  Two  other  idols  accompany  Juggernaut, 
namely,  Boloram  and  Shubudra,  his  brother  and  sister  : 
for  there  are  three  Deities  worshipped  here.  They  receive 
equal  adoration,  and  sit  on  thrones  of  nearly  equal  height/ 

* This  ^morning  I  viewed  the  Temple  ;  a  stupen- 
dous fabric,  and  truly  commensurate  with  the  extensive 
sway  of  '  the  horrid  king.'  As  other  temples  are  usually 
adorned  with  figures  emblematicar  of  their  religion,  sq 


Juggernaut  has  representations  (numerous  and  varied) 
of  that  vice,  which  constitutes  the  essence  of  his  wor- 
ship. The  walls  and  gates  are  covered  with  indecent, 
eoiblems,  in  massive  and  durable  sculpture. — I  have  als.O; 
visited  the  sand  plains  by  the  sea,  in.  some  places  whiten- 
ed with  the  bones  of  the  pilgrims ;  and  another  place  a 
little  way  out  of  the  town,  called  by  tlie  English,  the 
Golgotha,  where  the  dead  bodies  are  usually  cas.t  forth  ; 
and  where  dogs  and  vultures  are  ever  seen.'* 

'  The  grand  Hindoo  festival  of  the  Rutt  Jattra,  takes 
place  on  the  18th  inst.  when  the  idol  is  to  be  brought 
forth  to  the  people.  I  reside  during  my  stay  here  at  the 
house  of  James  Hunter,  Esq.  the  Company's  collector  of 
the  tax  on  pilgrims,  and  superintendant  of  the  temple, 
formerly  a  student  in  the  College  of  Fort  William  ;  by 
whom  I  am  hospitably  entertained,  and  also  by  Captain 
Fatton,  and  Lieut.  Woodcock,  commanding  the  military 
force.  Mr.  Hunter  distinguished  himself  at  tiie  College 
by  his  proficiency  in  the  Oriental  Languages,  He  is  4 
gentleman  of  polished  manners  and  of  classical  taste, 

*  The  vultures  generally  find  out  the  prey  first ;  and  begin 
with  the  intestines ;  for  the  flesh  of  the  body  js  too  firm  for 
their  beaks  immediately  after  death.  But  the  dogs  soon 
receive  notice  of  the  circumstance,  generally  from  seeing 
the  Hurries,  or  corpse-carriers,  returning  from  the  pladel  Oti 
the  approach  of  the  dogs,  the  vultures  retire  a  few  yards, 
and  wait  till  the  body  be  sufficiently  torn  for  ea«y  deglutition. 
The  vultures  and  dogs  often  feed  together  j  and  sometimes 
begin  their  attack  before  the  pilgrim  be  quite  dead.  There 
are  four  animals  which  may  be  seen  about  a  carcase,  at  tb? 
same  time,  viz.  the  dog,  the  jackal,  the  vulture,  and,  th<^ 
Hurgeela,  or  Adjutant,  called  by  Pennant^  the  Gigantic  Cranes 


24.  ct)risttan  iaeseatct)es 

The  agreeable  society  of  these  gentlemen  is  very  refresh- 
ing to  my  spirits  in  the  midst  of  the  present  scenes.  I 
was  surprised  to  see  how  little  they  seemed  to  be  moved 
by  the  scenes  at  Juggernaut.  They  said  they  were  now 
so  accustomed  to  them,  they  thought  little  of  them. 
They  had  almost  forgot  their  first  impressions.  Their 
houses  are  on  the  sea-shore,  about  a  mile  or  more  from 
the  temple.  They  cannot  live  nearer,  on  account  of  the 
offensive  effluvia  of  the  town.  For,  independently  of  the 
enormity  of  the  superstition,  there  are  other  circumstan- 
ces which  render  Juggernaut  noisome  in  an  extreme 
degree.  The  senses  are  assailed  by  the  squalid  and 
ghastly  appearance  of  the  famished  pilgrims  ;  many  of 
whoiii  die  in  the  streets  of  want  or  of  disease ;  while  the 
devotee's,  with ' 'clotted  hair  and  painted  flesh,  arc  seen 
practising  their  various  austerities,  and  modes  of  self- 
tWrturlel  Persons  of  both  sexes,  with  little  regard  to 
conceiatmerit,  sit  down  on  the  sands  close  to  the  tawn 
ih  pubHc  view ;  and  the  sacred  bulls  walk  about  among 
them  and  eat  the  ordure.*^ 

'  The  vicinity  of  Juggernaut  to  the  sea  probably  pre- 
vents the  contagion,  which  otherwise  would  be  produced 
by  the  putrefactions  of  the  place. — There  is  scarcely  any 
verdure  to  refresh  the  sight  near  Juggernaut;  the  tenhiple 
and  town  being  nearly  encompassed  by  hills  .  of  .'mwrf, 
which  has  been  cast  u,p:in  the  lapse  of  ages  by  the  surge 
of  the.pcean..    All  is  b.arren  and  desolate  to  the  eye ;  and 

*  This  singular  fact' was  pointed  out  to  me  by  the  gentlemen 
here.  There  is  no  vegetation  fdr  ihe  sacred  Bulls  on  the  sand- 
plains.  They  are  fed  generally  with  vegetable^, ;fr<?m  tht; 
hands  of  the  pilgrims. 


respectiug  tJje  ^intioas,  25 

in  the  ear  there  is  the  never-Intermitting  sound  of  the 
roaring  sea.' 


*  Juggernaut,  ISthofJune,  1806. 

^ .  I  have  returned  home  from  witnessing  a  scene 

vvhich  I  shall  never  forget.     At  twelve  o'clock  of  this 
day,  being  the  great  day  of  the  feast,  the  Moloch  of  Hin- 
dostan  was  brought  out  of  his  temple  amidst  the  accla- 
piatlons  of  hundreds  of  thousands  of   his  worshippers. 
When  the  idol  was  placed  on  his  throne,  a  shout  was 
raised,  by  the  multitude,  such  as  I  had  never  heard  before. 
It  continued  equable  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  gradually 
died  away.     After  a  short  interval  of  silence,  a  murmur 
was  heard  at  a  distance y  all  eyes  were  turned  towards  the 
place,  and,  behold,  a  grove  advancing.     A  body  of  men, 
having  green  branches,   or  palms,  in  their  hands,  ap- 
proached with  great  celerity.     The  people  opened"  a  way 
iforthernj  and  when  they  had  come  iip  to  the  throne^ 
they  fell  down  before  him  that  sat  thereon,  and  worship- 
ped.    And  the  multitude  again  sent  forth'  a  voice  ^like 
the  sound  of  a  great  thunder.' — But  the  voices  I. now 
beard,  were  not  those  of  melody  or  of  joyful  acclamation  ; 
for  there  is  no  harmony  in  the  praise  of  Moloch*^  wor- 
shippers.    Their  nund^er  indeed  brought  to  my  mind  the 
countless  multitude  of  the  Revelations ;  but  th^ir  voices 
gave  no  fuiieful  Hosanna'or  Hallelujah;  but  father  a  yell 
of  approbation,  united  with  a  kind  of  hissing  applause.*— 

ir    "    .  -  '  ■■  ■  ; ■ ~ , 

*  $i^e  Milton's,  Pandemonium,  BpokiX, 


s6  Cfjnsfian  Kesearcties 

I  \tfas  at  a  loss  how  to  account  for  this  ktter  noise,  until 
.  I  was  directed  to  notice  the  women  ;  who  emitted  a  sound 
like  that  of  wJiistling,  with  the  lips  circular  and  the 
tongue  vibrating :  as  if  a  serpent  wouW  speak  by  their 
organs,  uttering  human  sounds.* 

'  The  throne  of  the  idol  was  placed  on  a  stupendous 
car  or  tower  about  sixty  feet  in  height,  resting  on 
wheels  which  indented  the  ground  deeply,  as  they 
turned  slowly  under  the  ponderous  machine.  Attached 
to  it  were  six  cables,  of  the  size  and  length  of  a  ship's 
cable,  by  which  the  people  drew  it  along.  ITiousands  of 
men,  women,  and  children  pulled  by  each  cable,  crowding 
so  closely,  that  some  could  only  use  one  hand.  Infants 
are  made  to  exert  their  strength  in  this  office,  for  it  is 
accounted  a  merit  of  righteousness  to  move  the  God. 
Upon  the  tower  were  the  priests  and  satellites  of  the 
idol,  surrounding  his  throne.  I  was  told  that  there  were 
about  a  hundred  and  twenty  persons  upon  the  car  alto- 
gether. The  idol  is  a  block  of  wood,  having  a  frightful 
visage  painted  black,  with  a  distended  mouth  of  a  bloody 
colour.  His  arms  are  of  gold,  and  he  is  dressed  in  gor- 
geous apparel.  The  other  two  idols  are  of  a  white  and 
yellow  colour.— Five  elephants  preceded  the  three  towers, 
bearing  towering  flags,  dressed  in  crimson  -caparisons, 
and  having  bells  hanging  to  their  caparisons,  which 
sounded  musically  as  they  moved.* 

*  I  went  on  in  the  procession,  close  by  the  tower  of 
Moloch ;  which,  as  it  was  drawn  with  difficulty,  "  grated 
on  its  many  wheels  harsh  thunder.*    After  a  few  minutes 

*  Two  of  the  military  gentlemen  had  mounted  my  elephant 
that  they  might  witness  the  ipectacle  while  I  walked,  arid  had 


Tr. 


tesperttng  tl)e  ii^tnUoos;* 

it  stopped ;  and  now  the  worslui>  of  tire  God  began. — A 
high  priest  mounted  the  car  in  front  of  tl«t  idoU  and  pro- 
nounced liis  obscene  stanzas  in  the  eirs  oi  the  poiple ; 
who  responded  at  intervals  in  the  same  strain.     *  These 

*  songs,'  said  he,  *  are  the  deiia^ht  of  the  God.     His  car 

*  can  ortly  move  when  lie  is  pleased  with  the  song.'— The 
cur  moved  on  a  little  way  and  then  stopped.  A  boy  of 
about  twelve  years  was  then  brought  forth  to  attempt 
something  yet  more  lascivious,  if  peradventurc  the  God 
would  move.  The  *  child  perfected  the  prais6*  of  his 
idol  with  such  ardent  expression  and  gesture,  that  the 
God  was  pleased,  and  the  multitude,  emitting  a  sensual 
yell  of  delight,  urged  the  car  along.— After  a  few  minutes 
it  stopped  again.  An  aged^  minister  of  the  idol  then 
stood  up,  and  with  a  long  rod  in  his  hand,  which  he 
mdved  with  indecent  action,  completed  the  variety  of  this 
disgusting  exhibition. — 1  felt  a  consciousness  of  doing 


brought  hira  close  to  the  tower ;  but  the  moment  it  began  to 
move,  the  animal,  alarmed  at  the  unusual  noise,  took  fright  and 
ran  off  through  the  crowd  till  he  was  stopt  by  a  wall.  The 
natural  fear  of  the  elephant,  lest  he  should  injure  human  life, 
was  remarkably  exemplified  on  this  occasioii.  Though  th« 
crowd  was  very  closely  set,  he  endeavoured,  in  the  midst  of  his 
own  terror,  to  throw  the  people  off,  on  both  sides,  with  his  feet, 
and  it  was  found  that  he  had  only  trod  upon  one  person.  It 
was  with  great  concern  I  afterwards  learnt,  that  this  was  a  poor 
woman,  and  that  the  fleshy  part  of  her  leg  had  been  torn  off. 
There  being  no  medical  person  here,  Lieut.  Woodcock,  with 
great  humanity,  endeavoured  to  dress  the  wound,  and  attended 
her  daily  j  and  Mr.  Hunter  ordered  her  to  be  supplied  with 
every  thing  that  might  conduce  to  her  recovery. 


28  €l)mtim  laesearrijes 

wrong  in  witnessing  it.  I  was  also  somewhat  appalled  at 
the  magnitude  and  horror  of  the  spectacle ;  I  felt  like  a 
guilty  person  on  whom  all  eyes  were  fixed,  and  I  was 
about  to  withdraw.  But  a  scene  of  a  different  kind  was 
now  to  be  presented.  The  characteristics  of  Moloch's 
worship  are  obscenity  and  blood.  We  have  seen  the 
former.     Now  comes  the  blood.' 

*  After  the  tower  had  proceeded  some  way,  a  pilgrim 
announced  that  he  was  ready  to  offer  himself  a  sacrifice 
to  the  idol.  He  laid  himself  down  in  the  road  before  the 
tower  as  it  was  moving  along,  lying  on  his  face,  with 
his  arms  stretched  forwards.  The  multitude  passed 
round  him,  leaving  the  space  clear,  and  he  was  crushed  to 
death  by  the  wheels  of  the  tower.  A  shout  of  joy  was 
raised  to  the  God.  He  is  said  to  smile  when  the  libation 
of  the  blood  is  made.  The  people  threw  cowries,  or 
small  money,  on  the  body  of  the  victim,  in  approbation  of 
the  deed.  He  was  left  to  view  a  considerable  time,  and 
was  then  carried  by  the  Hurries  to  the  Golgotha,  where  I 
have  just  been  viewing  his  remains.  How  much  I  wished 
tjiat  the  Proprietors  of  India  Stock  could  have  attended 
the  wheels  of  Juggernaut,  and  seen  this  peculiar  source 
of  theur  revenue/ 


resjjertmg  tt)e  IDlnBoos^  ^9 


^  Juggernaut^  20th  June,  1806. 

**  Moloch,  horrid  king,  besmeared  with  blood 

•*  Of  human  sacrifice,  and  parents'  tears." Milton. 

^ ,  The  horrid  solemnities  still  contiRue.  Yes- 
terday a  woman  devoted  herself  to  the  idol.  She  laid 
herself  down  on  the  road  in  an  oblique  direction,  so  that 
the  wheel  did  not  kill  her  instantaneously,  as  is  generally 
the  case  ;  but  she  died  in  a  few  hours.  This  morning  as 
I  passed  the  Place  of  Skulls,  nothing  remained  of  hec 
but  her  bones.' 

'  And  this,  thought  I,  is  the  worship  of  the  Brahmins 
of  Hindostan,  and  their  worship  in  its  sublimest  degree  ! 
What  then  shall  we  think  of  their  private  manners,  and 
their  moral  principles  !  For  it  is  equally  true  of  India 
as  of  Europe.  If  you  would  know  the  state  of  the  peo- 
ple, look  at  the  state  of  the  Temple/ 

*  I  was  surprised  to  see  the  Brahmins  with  their  heads 
uncovered  in  the  open  plain  falling  down  in  the  midst  of 
the  Sooders  before  ^  the  horrid  shape,*  and  mingling  so 
complacently  with  '  that  polluted  cast.'  But  this  proved 
what  I  had  before  heard,  that  so  great  a  God  is  this,  that 
the  dignity  of  high  cast  disappears  before  him.  This 
great  king  recognises  no  distinction  of  rank  among  his 
subjects,  all  men  are  equal  in  his  presence.* 


so  Ct)rt5ttan  iae^^earrijes 


^  Juggernaut^  2l^t  Jiine^  1806. 

"'  The  idolatrous  processions  continue  for  some  days 
longer,  but  my  spirits  are  so  exhausted  by  the  constant 
view  of  these  enormities,  that  I  mean  to  hasten  away 
from  this  place  sooner  than  I  at  first  intended. — I  beheld 
another  distressing  scene  this  morning  at  the  Place  of 
Skulls ; — a  poor  woman  lying  dead,  or  nearly  dead,  and 
her  two  children  by  her,  looking  at  the  dogs  arid  vultures 
which  were  near.  The  people  passed  by  without  notic- 
ing the  children.  I  asked  them  where  was  their  home. 
They  said,  ^  they  had  no  home  but  where  their  mother 
was.'— O,  there  is  no  pity  in  Juggernaut !  no  mercy,  no 
tenderness  of  heart  in  Moloch's  kingdom  !  Those  who- 
support  his  kingdom,  err,  I  trust,  from  ignorance.  ^  They 
know  not  what  they  do.' 


^  As  to  the  number  of  worshippers  assembled  here  at 
this  time,  no  accurate  calculation  can  be  made.  The 
natives  themselves  when  vSpeaking  of  the  numbers  at 
particular  festivals,  usually  say  that  a  lack  of  people 
(100,000)  would  not  be  missed.  I  asked  a  Brahmin  how 
many  he  supposed  were  present  at  the  most  numerous 
festival  he  had  ever  witnessed.  '  How  can  I  tell,'  said 
he,  '  how  many  grains  there  are  in  a  handful  of  sand  ?' 

*  The  languages  spoken  here  are  various,  as  there  are 
Hindoos  from  every  country  in  India :  but  the  two  chief 


resipectmg  tl)e  I^mUaos.  3 1 

languages  in  use  by  those  who  are  resident,  are  tlic 
Orissa  and  the  Telinga.  Tlie  border  of  the  Telinga 
Country  is  only  a  few  miles  distant  from  the  tower  ()f 
Juggernaut.* 


*  Chilka  Lake,  24th  June, 

•  .  I   felt  my  mind  relieved  and  happy  when  I 

had  passed  beyond  the  confines  of  Juggernaut.  I  cer- 
tainly was  not  prepared  for  this  scene.  But  no  one  can 
know  what  it  is  who  has  not  seen  it. — From  an  eminencef 
on  the  pleasant  b^nks  of  the  Chilka  Lake  (where  no  human 
bones  are  seen)  I  had  a  view  of  the  lofty  tower  of 
Juggernaut  far  remote ;  and  while  I  viewed  it,  its  abo^ 
minations  came  to  mind.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  the 
Sabbath.  Ruminating  long  on  the  wide  and  extended 
empire  of  Moloch  in  the  heathen  world,  I  cherished  in 
my  thoughts  the  design  of  some  '  Christian  Institution/ 
which,  being  fostered  by  Britain,  my  Christian  country, 
might  gradually  undermine  this  baleful  idolatry,  and  put 
out  the  memory  of  it  for  ever/ 


*  It  will  give  pleasure  to  the  reader  to  hear,  that  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Holy  Scriptures  is  preparing  in  Orissa  and  Telinga, 
the  languages  of  Juggernaut. 

f  Manickpatain, 


S2  Cljrfetian  EesearcJ)e0 

Annual  E.rpenses  of  the    Idol  Juggekj^aut^ 
presented  to  the  English  Government, 

[Extracted  from  the  Official  Accounts.] 

Rupees.  £.  Sterling. 

1.  Expenses  attending  the  table  of  the  idol     36^115  or  4,514 

2.  Ditto  of  his  dress  or  wearing  apparel     -    2,712  339 

3.  Ditto  of  the  wages  of  his  servants     -       .   10,057         1,259 

4.  Ditto  of  contingent  expenses  at  the  dif- 

ferent seasons  of  pilgrimage     -     -  10,989  13/3 

5.  Ditto  of  his  elephants  and  horses    -     -    -     3^030  3/8 

6.  Ditto  of  his  rutt  or  annual  state  carriage       6,713  839 


Rupees  69,616        £  8702 


^  In  Item  third,  *  wages  of  his  servants,*  are  included 
the  wages  of  the  courtesans,  who  are  kept  for  the  sendee 
of  the  temple. 

^  Item  sixth,— What  is  here  called  in  the  official 
account  *  the  state  carriage,'  is  the  same  as  the  car  or 
tower.  Mr.  Hunter  informed  me  that  the  three  ^  state 
carriages '  were  decorated  this  year  (in  June,  1 806)  with 
upwards  of  2001.  sterling  worth  of  English  broad  cloth. 

'  Of  the  rites  celebrated  in  tlie  interior  of  Juggernaut, 
called  the  Daily  Service,  I  can  say  nothing  of  my  own 
knowledge,  not  having  been  wifhin  the  temple.'* 


*  At  the  Temple  of  Juggernaut,  the  English  Government 
levy  a  tax  on  pilgrims  as  a  source  of  revenue.    The  first  law. 


vts^ttUns  tl)t  ^inym&^  33 


JUGGERNAUT  IN  BENGAL. 

Lest  it  should  be  supposed  that  the  rites  of 
Juggernaut  are  confined  to  the  Temple  in  Orissa, 
or  that  the  Hindoos  there  practice  a  more  crimi- 


enacted  by  the  Bengal  Goverhptient  for  this  purpose,was  entitlejJ 
"^  A  Regulation  for  levying  a  Tax  from  Pilgrims  resorting  to  the 
"  Tenaple  of  Juggernaut,  and  for  the  superintendance  and 
*'  management  of  tlie  Teraple.-^Passed  3d  of  April,  1806." 
Another  Regulation  was  passed  in  Bengal,  in  Apql,  I8O9,  re- 
scinding so  much  of  the  former  , as  related  to  the  ^'interior 
management  and  cpntroul"  of  the  Temple;  .l?ut  sanctioning 
the  levying  the  tax  from  pilgrims  for  admission  to  the  temple  ; 
allotting  a  sum  toward  the  expenses  of  the  idol  5  and  appointing 
an  officer  of  Government  to  collect  the  tax.  ,0f  this  second 
Regulation,  the  author  received  no  intimation  until  the  third 
edition  of  this  work  was  put  to  pre$s,  In  the  former  editions, 
it  was  stated  that  the  Temple  was  under  the  immc^l^te  manage- 
ment and  controul  of  the  English  Government ;  which , he  is 
now  happy  to  find  was  not  the  fact  at  the  time.  ,  Whether  the 
account  of  the  riew  Piegulation  had  reached  England  before  the 
1st  of  July,  1810,  when  he  had  occasion  first  to  notice  the  sul^- 
ject,  he  does  not  know.  But  he  has  it  now  in  his  power  to 
communicate  to  the  public  the  following  authentic  information, 
which,  injustice  to  the  Honorable  Court  of  Directors,  ^s  to  the 
part  they  have  taken  in  this  matter,  ought  to  be  known. 

When  the  Bengal  Government  first  announced  their  Regu- 
lation of  the  3d  of  April,  1606,  to  the  Court  of  Directors, 
(which  they  did  by  letter,  dated  l6ih  May,  1 806,)  they  com- 

D 


34  C^ti^im  laestavfijes 

nal  superstition  than  they  do  in  other  places, 
it  may  be  proper  to  notice  the  effects  of  the 
same  idolatry  in  Bengal.  The  English  nation 
will  not  expect  to  hear  that  the  blood  of  Jug- 
gernaut is   known  at  Calcutta  :   but,  alas  !  it  is 


raunicated  their  intention  of  naaking  the  following  alterations 
therein  J— namely,  to  permit  "  certain  officers  of  the  Tempi* 
"  to  collect  their  fees  directly  from  the  pilgrims  agreeably  t« 
"  former  usage,  instead  of  receiving  the  amount  of  those  fees 
"■  from  the  public  treasury  :  to  allow  the  Pundits,  who  are  to 
"  superintend  the  affairs  of  the  Temple,  to  be  elected  by  par* 
"  ticular  classes  of  persons  attached  to  it,  instead  of  being 
"  appointed  by  the  Government  j  and  to  vest  hi  the  Pundits 
*'  so  elected,  the  entire  coritroul  over  the  Temple  and  its  mi- 
*'  nisters  and  officers,  as  well  as  over- the  funds  allotted  for  its 
"  expenses  j  restricting  the  interference  of  tlie  officers  of 
"  Government  to  the  preservation  of  the  peace  of  the  town, 
"  to  the  protection  of  pilgrims  from  oppression  bnd  extori ion, 
"^  and  to  the  collection  of  the-  tax  to  be  appropriated  to'  the  use 
"  of  Government." 

When  this  subject  came  under  the  notice  of  the  Court  of 
Directors  in  the  year  1808,  they  thought  it  proper  to  propose  a 
distinct  statement  of  their  opinions  upon  it  to  the  Bengal 
Government;  and  they  prepared  a  letter,  wherein  they  en- 
joined, that  the  Government  should  not  elect  the  priests  who 
were  to  superintend  the  affairs  of  the  Temple,  or  exercise  a 
controul  over  its  ministers  and  officers,  or  take  the  mannge- 
iTsent  of  its  funds ;  and  that  the  exercise  of  the  authority  of 
the  government  should  extend  only  to  objects  falling  directly 
within  the  province  of  the  magistrate,  as  the  care  of  the 
police,  the  administration  of  justice,  and  the  collection  of  suckj 


tt^tttins  tfje  l&inBo0S.  35 

sbed  at  the  very  doors  of  the  English,  ahiiost 
under  the  eye  of  the  Supreme  Govenurient. 
Moloch  has  many  a  tower  in  the  province  of 
Bengal :  that  fair  and  fertile  province  which 
has  been  called  "  The  Garden  of  Nations.? 
Close  to  Ishera,  a  beautiful  villa  on  the  river's 
side,    about  eight   miles  from  Calcutta,    once 


a  tax,  professedly  for  these  ends,  as  should  be  required  for  the 
due  attainment  of  them  ;  not  subjecting  the  Hindoos  to  any 
tax  for  access  to  their  place  of  devotion,  or  under  the  notion 
of  granting  them  a  religious  privilege,  or  of  tolerating  Idolatiy, 
in  consideration  of  money.  The  Coutt  of  Directors,  however, 
were  over-ruled  in  this  proceeding  by  a  superior  authority, 
which  thought  it  sufficient  to  acquiesce  generally  in  what  the 
Bengal  Government,  in  their  above-mentioned  letter  of  l6th 
May,  I8O6,  proposed  should  be  done. 

By  the  same  superior  authority  another  dispatch  was  sub- 
stituted to  that  effect,  in  which  it  uas  stated,  that  as  the  talL 
on  pilgrims  resorting  to  Allahabad  and  Ju^ernaut,  was  estab- 
lished during  the  Nawaub*s  and  the  Mahratta  Government, 
there  did  not  appear  to  be  any  objection  to  its  continuance 
under  the  British  Government. 

This  substituted  dispatch  went,  as  the  law  directs,  in  the 
name  of  the  Court  of  Directors,  although  it  was  in  opposition 
to  their  sentiments.  But,  before  it  arrived  in  Bengal,  tlie 
Government  there  had  passed,  by  their  own  authority,  th« 
Regulation  of  April,  I8O9. 

That  part  of  the  province  of  Orissa,  which  contains  the 
Temple  of  Juggernaut,  first  became  subject  to  the  Brltisli 
ilmpire  under  the  administration  of  Marquis  Wellesley,  who 
permitted  the  pilgrims  at  first  to  visit  Juggernaut  without  pay- 


36  €\)xMm  Eesratcljes* 

the  residence  of  Governor  Hastings,  and  within 
view  of  the  present  Governor-Generars  <joun try- 
house,  there  is  a  temple  of  this-idol,  whtch  is 
often  stained  with  human  blood.  At  the  festi- 
val of  the  Rutt  Jattra,  in  May,  1807^,  the  Author 
visited  it,  on  his  return  from  the  South  of  India, 
having  heard  that  its  rites  were  similar  to  those 
of  Juggernaut. 


ing  tribute.  It  was  proposed  to  his  Lordship,  soon  after,  to 
pass  the  Regulation  first  above-mentioned  for  the  management 
of  the  Temple,  and  levying  the  tax  ;  but  he  did  not  approve 
of  it,  and  actually  left  the  Government  without  giving  hi* 
sanction  to  the  opprobrious  iaw.  When  the  measure  was  dis- 
cussed by  the  succeeding  Government,  it  was  resisted  by 
George  Udney,  Esq.  one  of  th^  ^  ^ecnb'ers  of  the  Supreme 
Council,  who  recorded. his  sofemn  dissent  oh  fhe  proceedings 
of  Government,  for  Uansmissiop  to  England.  The  other 
members  considered  Juggerpaut  to  be  a  legitimate  source  of 
revenue,  on  the  principle,  I  believe,  that  money  Yrom  other 
temples  in  Hindostan  had  long  been  bron'glu  into  the,  treasury. 
It  is  just  that  I  should  slate'tnat  these  igeptlemen  are  men  of 
the  most  honourable  principles  and  of  u.iiimpeached  integrity. 
Nor  would  any.  one  of  th^m,  I  believe,  (for  I  have  the  honour 
to  know  them)  do  any  thing  which  he  thought  injurious  to 
the  honour  or  religion  of  his  country..  But  the  truth  is  this, 
that  those  persons  wiio  go  to  India  in  early  youth,  and  \y it ness 
the  Hindoo  customs  all  their  life,  seeing  little  at  the  same  time 
of  the  Christian  Religion  to  counteract  the  effect,'  are  dis- 
posed to  view  them  with  complacency,  and  are  sometimes  In 
dang;er  of  at  length  considering  them  even  as  proper  or  neces* 
sarv. 


vts^ptttins  tl)t  ^ivlboo^.  sr 


'  Juggernaut's  Temple,  near  Ishera,  on  the  Ganges : 
Riittjattra,  May,  I8O7. 

"  The  tower  Jiere  is  drawn  along,  like  that  at  Jugger-r 
naut,  by  cables.  The  number  of  worshippers  at  this 
festival  is  computed  to  be  about  a  hundred  thousand. 
The  tower  is  covered  with  indecent  emblems,  which  were 
freshly  painted  for  the  occasion,  and  were  the  objects  of 
sensual  gaze  by  botli  sexes.  One  of  the  victims  of  this 
year  was  a  well-made  young  man,  of  healthy  appearance 
and  comely  aspect.  He  had  a  garland  of  flowers  round 
his  neck,  and  lils  long  black  hair  was  dishevelled.  He 
danced  for  a  while  before  the  Idol,  singing  in  an  enthu- 
siastic strain,  and  then  ruslilng  suddenly  to  the  wheels, 
he  shed  his  blood  under  the  tower  of  obscenitv.'^     1  was 


*  This  case  was  fully  authenticated  at  the  time,  and  report- 
ed by  eye-witnesses  in  Calcutta.  Old  Indians  in  England  will 
sometimes  observe  that  though  they  lived  many  years  in  the 
East,  they  never  saw  such  things.  It  is  very  possible  that  they 
lid  not,  if  they  never  inquired  into  them.  Will  a  Hindoo  ser- 
vant tell  his  master  that  a  woman  is  burning  alive,  or  that  blood 
13  shed  under  the  wheels  of  Juggernaut  ?  Certainly  not.  He 
knows  that  his  master,  if  he  be  a  man  of  any  feeling,  will  dis- 
approve of  such  inhumanity  j  and  the  Hindoo  has  no  desire  to 
hear  the  bloody  rites  of  his  religion  commented  on  at  a  Chris- 
tian Table.  He  will  rather  conceal  the  fact,  and  will  have 
more  satisfaction  in  promoting  his  master's  pleasures  j  and  in 
supplying  him  with  the  narcotic  and  soul-composing  Hooka, 
Of  the  Hindoo  scenes  around  him  (even  those  in  which  his  own 
domestics  bear  a  part)  there  is  no  man  in  general  more  ignorant 


3s  C^Mmi  Mmmtt^m 

liot  ni  tlie  spot  at  the  iime^  my  attention  having  been 

ei'igag-ed  bj.  a  more  pleasjBg  scene, 

'  Ofi  the  oih^r  side,  on  a  lisliig'  groand  by  the  side 
of  a  Tank,  stood  the  Christian  MissioBan'es,  and  aiound 
fht'in  a  crowd  of  people  listening  to  their  preachiDg- 
Tlie  (own  of  Senmrpore^  where  the  Protest  ant  Mission- 
aries reside,  is  only  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  this. 
Temple  of  Jagt^enmuL  As  I  jfmsed  thraogh  the  mtilti- 
tadCf  I  met  serveral  perscfRs  having  the  printed  papers  of 
the  Mlssiominef-  m  ihatr  hands.  Some  of  them  were 
reading  ihem  \ert  grarely ;  others  were  laaghiBg  with 
each  other  at  the  contents,  and  saying,  *  What  do  tliese 
wofds  luean. :' 

'  I  sat  down  on  an  elevated  spot  to  eootejuplate  this 
scene, — the  tower  of  blood  and  impurity  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  Christian  Preaehers  on  the  other.  I 
thought  on  the  commandrneiife  of  our  Saviour,  *  Go  ye 


I  ban  the  Eiiglisli  Sabab  (roaster), — About  the  year  179Q, 
twenty- eight  Hindoos  were  reported  to  have  been  crashed  to 
death  at  this  very  place,  I?hera,  under  the  wheels  of  Jugger- 
nant,  impeiied  by  sympadietse  religroos  phrenzy.  The  fact  of 
their  deaths  was  notofKms,  snd  was  recorded  in  the  Calcutta 
Newspapers. 

Eut  so  little  impression  did  it  mste  on  the  public  miod^  and 
so  little  inquiry  was  made  by  individaals  on  the  subject,  that  it 
became  doubtful  at  length,  whether  the  nien  perished  by  acci- 
dent, or,  as  usual,  by  sclf-devntemerit  '^  for  it  was  said,  that  to 
qualify  the  enormity  of  the  deed  in  the  view  of  the  English^, 
some  of  the  Hindoos  gave  out  that  the  men  fell  under  the 
XV  heels  by  accident. 


teach, all  nations/  I  said  to  myself,  '  How  great  and 
glorious  a  ministry  are  these  humble  persons  now  exer- 
cising in  the  presence  of  God  !'  How  is  it  applauded  by 
the  'holy  Angels^  who  '  have  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sin- 
ner that  repenteth  ;'  and  how  far  does  it  transcend  the 
work  of  the  Warrior  or  Statesman,  in  charity,  utility, 
and  lasting  fame  !  And  I  could  not  help  wishing  that 
the  Representatives  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  my  own 
country  had  been  present  to  vvitness  this  scene,  that  they 
might  have  seen  how  practicable  it  is  to  oiFer  Christian 
instruction  to  our  Hindoo  subjects/ 


IMMOLATION  OF  FEMALES. 

Before  we  proceed  to  shew  the  happy  effects 
of  Christianity  in  those  provinces  of  India 
where  it  has  been  introduced,  it  will  be  proper 
to  notice  that  other  sanguinary  rite  of  the 
Hindoo  superstition,  the  Female  Sacrifice. 
The  female  sacrifice  is  two-fold.  There  is  the 
sacriiice  of  women,  who  are  burned  alive  on  the 
funeral  pile  of  their  husbands;  and  there  is  the 
murder  of  female  children.  We  shall  first  ad- 
vert to  the  sacrifice  of^  women.  The  report  of 
the  number  of  women  burned  within  the 
period  of  six  months  near  Calcutta,  will  give 
the  reader  some  idea  of  the  multitude  who  perish 
annually  in  India. 


40  Cljrtstiatt  iateeairdjeg* 

*  REPORT  of  the  number  of  Women  who  were  Burrted 
*^  Alive  on  the  Funeral  Pile  of  their  Husbands,  within 
*  thirty  miles  round  Calcutta,  from  the  beginning  of 
""  Bys^h  (15th  April)  to  the  end  of  Aswin  (15th 
^  October)  1^04.' 

Women  bnrned 
alive. 

From  Garria  io  Barrypore  -,  at  eleven  different  places*  1 8 
From  Toliy's  Nalla  mcath  to  Ganria  ;  at  seventeen 

different  places 30 

From  Barrypore  to  Buhipore  j  at  seven  places 11 

From  Seebpore  to  Bc^leea ;   at  five  places . , . .  10 

^rom  Baieea  to  B)  dyabattee ;  at  three  places. ...  3 

From  Bydyabattee,  to  BasibafTeea ;  iX  five  places. .  10 
From  Cakuita  to  Boralnugur  (or  ^arnagore  ;)   at 

fonr  places 6 

From  Barahnognr  to  Chabck  (or  Barrackporej)  at 

six  places 13 

From  Cbanok  to  Cachrapara  3  at  four  places, ...  8 

Total  of  women  bnmed  alive  six  in  months, 

near  Calcutta 115 

*  The  above  Report  was  made  by  persons  of  the  Hin- 
doo cast,  deputed  for  that  purpose,  under  the  superin- 
tendance  of  the  Professor  of  the  Shancrit  and  Benga- 
lee   languages  in  the  College  of   Fort- William.     They 


*  See  the  names  of  the  places  and  other  particulars  in  "  Me- 
moir  of  the  Expedienaj  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Estahli^hment  in 
British  India,''  p.  102, 


respecting  flje  5)ina0as. 

were  ten  in  number,  and  were  stationed  at  different  pla- 
ces during  the  whole  period  of  six  months.  They  gave 
in  their  account  monthly,  specifyrng  the  particulars  of 
each  immolation,  so  that  every  individual  instance  was 
subject  to  investigation  immediately  after  its  occurrence^ 

*  By  art  account  taken  in  1 803,  the  liumber  of  women 
iacrlficed,  during  that  year,  within  thirty  miles  round 
Calcutta,  was  two  hundred  and  seventy-five, 

'  In  the  foregoing  Report  of  six  months,  in  1804,  it 
will  he  perceived  that  no  account  was  taken  of  burnings 
in  a  district  to  the  west  of  Calcutta,  nor.'  further  than 
twenty  miles  in  some  other  directions ;  so  that  the 
Whole  number  of  burnings  within  thirty  miles  round 
Calcutta,  must  have  been  considerably  greater  than  is 
here  stated.' 


The  following  account  will  give  the  reader 
some  idea  of  the  flagitious  circumstances  which 
somethnes  attend  these  sacrifices. 


SACRIFICE  OF  THE  KOOLIN  BRAHMIN's 
THREE  WIVES. 

'  Caieutta,  SOth  Sq:)t  1807, 

*  A  horrid  tragedy  was  acted,  on  the  12th  instant,  near 
Barnagore  (a  place  about  three  miles  above  Calcutta.) 
A  Koolin  Brahmin  of  Cammar-hatti,  by  name  Kristo 
Deb  Mookerjee,   died  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety- 


42  Christian  IReseardjes 

hvo.  He  had  twelve  wives  3*  and  three  of  them  w*r# 
burned  alive  with  his  dead  body.  Of  these  three,  one 
was  a  venerable  lady,  having  white  locks,  who  had  been 
long  known  in  the  neighbourhood.  Not  being  able  to 
walk,  she  was  carried  in  a  palanquin  to  the  place  of  burn^ 
ing  5  apd  was  then  placed  by  the  Brahmins  on  the  funeral 
pile.  The  two  other  ladies  were  younger ;  one  of  them 
had  a  very  pleasing  and  interesting  countenance.  The 
old  l^dy  was  placed  on  one  side  of  the  dead  husband, 
and  the  two  other  wives  laid  themselves  down  on  the 
other  side  ;  and  then  an  old  Brahmin,  the  eldest  son  of 
the  deceased,  applied  his  torch  to  the  pile,  with  unaverted 
face.  The  pil^  suddj^nly  blazedj^  for  it  was  covered  with 
combustibles  ;  artd  this  human  sacrifice  was  cpmpJeted 
amidst  the  din  of  drums  and  cymbals,  and  the  shouts  of 
Brahmins. — A  person  present  observed,  ^  Surely  if  Lord 
Minto  were  here,  who  is  just  come  from  England,  and* 
is  not  used   to  see  women  burned  alive,  he  vrould  have 

*  The  Koolin  Brahmin  is  the  purest  of  all  Brahmifis,  and  is 
privileged  to  marry  as  many  wives  as  he  pleases.  The  Hindoo 
families  account  it  an  honour  to  unite  their  daughters  with  a 
Koolin  Brahmin.  *'  The  Ghautuch  or  Registrars  of  the  Koolin 
cast  state  that  Rajt-b  Bonnerjee,  now  of  Calcutta,  has  forty 
wives  J  and  that  Raj-chunder  Bonnerjee,  also  of  Calcutta,  has 
forty-two  wives  5  and  intends  to  marry  more  :  that  Ramraja 
Bonnerjee,  of  Bicrampore,  agsd  thirty  years,  and  Pooran 
Bonnerjee,  Rajkissore  Chutterjee,  and  Roopram  Mookerjee, 
have  each  upwards  of  forty  wives,  and  intfend  to  marry  more  5 
that  Birjop  Mookerjee,  of  Bicrampore,  who  died  about  five 
years  ago,  had  ninety  wives,"  This  account  was  authenticated 
at  Calcutta  in  the  year  1801.  See  further  particulars  m 
^*  Memoir"  before  quoted,  p.  1 II . 


te^prcttnff  tl)e  l^mtiflojf^  45 

iaved  these  three  ladies/  The  Maliomedan  Governors 
saved  whom  they  pleased,  and  suffered  no  deluded  female 
to  coirimit  suicide,  without  previous  investigation  of  the 
circumstaiiees,  and  official  permission. 

'  In  a  discussion  which  this  event  has  produced  in 
Calcutta,  the  following  question  has  been  asked.  Who 

WAS    GUILTY    OF    THE    BLOOD   OF  TMK  OLD   LABY  ?      foX 

it  was  manifest  that  she  could  not  destroy  herself  ?  She 
teas  carried  to  be  humed.  It  was  also  alleged  that  the 
Erahmin  who  fired  the  pile  was  not  guilty,  because  he 
was  never  informed  by  the  English  government,  that  there 
was  any  immorality  in  the  action.  On  the  contraiy,  he 
might  argue  tliat  the  English,  witncs^ng  this  scene  daily, 
as  they  do,  without  remonstrance,  acquiesctd  in  its 
propriety.  The  Government  In  India  was  exculpated,  on 
the  ground  that  the  Government  at  home  never  sent 
any  instructions  on  the  subject;  and  the  Court  of 
Directors  were  exculpated,  because  they  were  the  agents 
of  others.  It  remained  that  the  Proprietors  of  India 
Stock,  who  originate  and  sanction  all  proceedings  of  the 
Court    of   Directors,   wbre  remotely  accessary  to 

THE  DEED.' 

The  best  vindication  of  the  great  body  of 
Proprietors,  is  this,  that  some  of  them  never 
heard  of  the  Female  sacrifice  at  all ;  and  that 
few  of  them  are  acquainted  with  the  full  extent 
and  frequency  of  the  crime.* — Besides,  in  the 

*  "  When  Rao  Lacka,  Grandfather  of  the  present  Chief  of 
*'  CuUk  died,  FIFTEEN  Rackdis  (concubines)   burnt  at  his 


44  €l)vl»tm  iaeseaitfies 

above  discussion,  it  was  taken  for  granted  that 
the  Court  of  Directors  liave  done  nothing  to- 
wards the  suppression  of  this  enormity ;  and 
the  Court  of  Proprietors  have  looked  on,  with- 
out concern,  at  this  omission  of  duty. — But 
this,  perhaps,  may  not  be  the  case.  The  ques* 
tion  then  remains  to  be  asked. — Have  the  Court 
of  Directors  at  any  time  sent  instructions  to  their 
Government  in  India,  to  report  on  the  means  by 
which  the  fi^quency  of  the  female  sacrifice 
might  l:>e  diminished,  and  the  practice  itself 
eventually  abolished?  Or  have  the  F)^oprietors 
of  India  Stoch  at  any  time  instructed  the  Court  of 
Directors  to  attend  to  a  point  of  so  much  conse- 
quence to  the  character  of  the  Company^  and  the 
honour  of  the  7iation  ? 

That  the  abolition  is  practicable  has  been 
demonstrated  :  and  that  too  by  the  most  rational 
and  lenrent  measures  :  and  these  means  have 
been  pointed  out  by  the  Brahmins  themselves.* 

. .    ,.  ■ ; ■ : ^ 

"funeral  pilej  hot  not  one  of  his  wives  sacrificed  themselves 
*'  on  this  occasion.  This  ceremony  is  less  expected  from  the 
"  wife  than  from  the  Racheli  -,  and  these  unfortunate  females 
"conceive  it  a  point  of  honour  to  consume  themselves  wiUi 
"their  Lords." 

See  Colonel  Walker's  official  Report,  dated  15th  March, 
1808,  traii-^mitted  by  the  Bombay  Government  to  the  Honour- 
able Court  of  Directors.     Paragraph  l60. 

*  See  them  detailed  in  "  Memoir,"  before  quoted,  p.  4^, 


resjiertmg  tl)e  8>triDio«*  45 

Had  Marquis  Wellesley  remained  in  India, 
and  been  permitted  to  complete  his  salutary 
plans  for  the  improvement  of  that  distant  Emr 
pire  (for  he  did  not  finish  onehalf  of  the  civil  and 
political  regulations  v^^hich  he  had  in  view,  and 
had  actually  commenced)  the  Female  Sacrifice 
would  probably  have  been  by  this  tim^  abolish- 
ed.* The  humanity  and  intrepid  spirit  of  that 
nobleman  abolished  a  yet  more  criminal  practice, 
which  w^$  considered  by  the  Hindoos  as  » 
religious^  .f;te»  and  consecrated  by  custom,  I 
meau  the  Sacjkifige  of; Children.  His  Lord? 
ship  had  been,  informed  that  it  had  been  a  cus- 
tom of  the  Hindoos  to  sacrifice  children  in  conr 
sequence  of  vows,  by  drowning  thfenvor  e^^posing 
them  to  Sharks  and  Crocodiles;  and  that  twenty- 
three  persons  had  perished  a^t  Sa^gor  in  one 
month  (Jaquary  1801,)  m^y  of  whom  were 
sacrificed  in  this  manner.  He  immediately  iu- 
stituted  an  inquiry  into  the  principle  of  this 
ancient  atrocity,  heard  }vhat  Natives  and  Euro- 
peans had  to  say  on  the  subject ;  and  then  passed 
a  law,  "  dechring  the  practice  to  be  murder, 
"  I>unishable  by  death." — The  law  is  entitled, 
"  A  Regulation  for  preventing  the  Sacrifice  of 


I  f  ft '"*■»"«''■ 


*ifeid..p.47 


46  Cf)ris!t(an  J&tmxt\^m 

*'  Children  at  Saugor  and  other  places  ;  passed 
*^  by  the  Governor-General  in  Council  on  the 
"  20th  of  August,  1802."— The  purpose  of  this 
regulation  was  completely  effected.  Not  a 
murmur  was  heard  on  the  subject :  nor  has  any 
attempt  of  the  kind  come  to  our  knowledge 
since.  It  is  impossible  to  calculate  the  number 
of  human  lives  that  have  been  saved,  during  the 
last  eight  years,  by  this  humane  law  of  Marquis 
Wellesley. — Now  it  is  well  known  that  it  is  as 
easy  to  prevent  the  sacrifice  of  wom6n  as  the 
sacrifice  of  children.  Has  this  fact  ever  been 
denied  by  any  man  who  is  competent  to  offer 
a  judgement  on  the  subject?  Until  the  supreme 
Government  in  Bengal  shall  declare  that  it  is 
utterly  impracticable  to  lessen  the  frequency 
of  the  Immolation  of  Females  by  any  means, 
the  autrior  will  not  cease  to  call  the 
Attention  of  the  English  Nation  to  thi^ 

SUBJECT. 


HINDOO  INFANTICIDE  ; 

OR, 

MURDER  OF  FEMALE  CHILDREN, 

The  following  relation  will  shew  what  humaE 
nature  can  believe  and  perpetrate  when  destitute 
of  the  light  from  heaven. 


respecting  tlje  l^tnacos.  47 

Among  the  Hindoo  tribes  called  theJAREjAH, 
in  the  provinces  of  Cutch  and  Guzerat,  in  the 
West  of  India,  it  is  a  custom  to  destroy  female 
infants.  "  The  mother  herself  is  commonly 
**  tlie  executioner  of  her  own  offspring.  Wo- 
*'  men  of  rank  may  have  tlveir  slaves  and  atten- 
"  dants,  who  perform  this  office,  but  the  far 
**  Cfreater  number  execute  it  with  their  own 
"  hands."* — In  defence  of  this  practice,  tliese 
tribes  allege,  that  the  education  of  daughters  is 
fxpensive;  that  it  is  dithcult  to  procure  a  suit- 
able settlement  for  them  in  marriage  ;  that  the 
preservation  of  female  honour  is  a  charge  of  soli- 
citude in  a  family;  and  that  when  they  want 
wives,  it  is  more  convenient  to  buy  them,  or 
solicit  them  from  another  cast,  than  to  breed 
them  themselves, 

*  "  They  appear  to  have  several  methods  of  destroying  the 
'"  infant^  but  two  are  prevalent.  Immediately  after  the  birth 
"  of  a  female,  they  put  into  its'  mouth  some  opium^  or  draw 
"  the  umbilical  cord  over  the  face,  which  prevents  respiration. 
*'  But  the  destruction  of  so  tender  and  young  a  subject  is  not 
"  difficult,  and  it  is  affected  without  causing  a  struggle." 
Col.  Walker's  report,  paragraph  55. — Col.  W.  further  states, 
that  DadajeCy  the  Chief  of  Raj-kut,  being  interrogated  as  to  the 
mode  of  killing  the  infants,  emphaticaHy  said,  **  What  diffi- 
f  culty  is  there  in  blasting  a  flower  ?" — He  added,  in  allusion 
to  the  motives  for  infanticide,  "  that  the  Ruharies  or  Goat 
*'  Herds  in  his  country,  allow  the  male  kids  to  die,  when 
"  there  are  many  of  them  brought  forth." 


48  Cljrfetfan  Eesearcftes 

This  atrocity  has  been  investigated  and 
brought  to  light  by  the  benevolent  and  truly 
laudable  exertipns  of  the  honourable  Jonathan 
Duncan,  Governor  of  Bombay  ;  to  whom  huma- 
nity is  now  indebted  for  one  of  her  greatest  vic- 
tories. Mr.  Duncan  had  instructed  Colonel 
Walker,  late  Political  l^esident  in  Guzer^t,  to 
inform  him^iqlf,  (in  a  ^Ulitary  progress  ^tiUrougli 
that  province)  of  the  nature  an4  extent  xxf  J:l>€ 
practice  of  Infanticide,  and  iu  the  uame  of  th^ 
British  Government,  to  enc^lcavqur  to  ^fFec,t  it& 
abolition.  The  Bou^bay  Governi,neut  Ijias  now 
transmitted  to  tlie  Cour^t^f  Dir<^ctai*^  the  qi^oial 
report  frpm  thfit  officer,., 4a ted  the  ]5t^  IVJarch, 
1808;  and  from  t^liis  doc^iJ^eat,,  detail^ql  in  99^ 
paragraphs,  the  foUovviufg  facts  are  giv^ii  ip«  tl)e 
public.  This  disclosure  seems  to  hajV'P  b^e^j  di- 
rected by  Providence,  a't  this  time, -4o  art!  the 
councils  of  the  British  nation,  whcnconsrclering, 
tlie  obligations  which  a,re, due  from  a.Chrisliau 
empire,  in  regard  to  the  niQral  impifov^nienjt  -of 
its  heathen  subjects.  But  the  fact  of  Blindoo 
Infanticide  is  by  no  means  nevv'.^^  Mr.  Duncan 
himself  was  instrumental  in  abolishing  the  ci'imjQ 
amoug  the  tribe  of  the  Raj-kumars,  in  Juan  pore, 

*  See  it  is  noticed  in  "  Memoir  of  the  Expediency  of  aoEe- 
cleiiastical  Establishment  for  Briti^i  India." 


resperting  tt)t  \UntiooQ.  4y 

ivLur  Benares  in  tli^e  }ear  1789.  Indeed,  the 
unnatural  custom  seems  to  have  subsisted  for 
more  than  two  thousand  years  ;  for  both  Greek 
and  Roman  liistorians  mention  it^  and  refer  to 
those  very  places  (Barygaza  or  Baroach)  where 
it  is  now  to  be  found.  The  number  of , females 
who  were  thus  sacrificed  in  Cutch  and  Guzerat 
alone,  (for  it  ii.  })ractised  in  several  other  pro- 
vinces) amounted,  by  the  very  lowest  computa- 
tion, (in  180?)  to  three  thowsand  annually. 
Other  calculations  vastly  exceed  that  number. 

Lieut. -Colonel  Alexander  Walkek  had 
lirst  the  honour  of  appearing  before  this  people, 
as  the>j»^dvocate  of  humanity.  He  addressed 
them  in  his  otficial  character,  and,  as  ambassador 
lom  the  British  nation,  he  entreated  them  to 
^KJltr  their  daughters  to  live.  It  seems  tliat  they 
had  uieans  of  aj)preciatino'  the  private  cliaracter 
V  of  tins  oliicei\  and'  they  respected  his  virtues  : 
but  in  regard  to  this  moral  negotiation,  they 
peremptorily  refused  even  to  listen  to  it. — The 
foliowino-  are  extracts  of  letters  addressed  to 
him  on  the  occasion. 

f.vttcr  Jrom  the  Jarejah   Jehajee  of  Murve(\ 
to  ColanelJralkcr,  —  Uth  Sept.  1807. 

*^  Your  letter,  Sir,  1  have  received,  in  which  It  is  writ- 
en  to  rear  up  and  protect  our  daughters:  but  the  cir- 


50  Cljrtstian  Eeseaitijes 

cumstances  of  ttis  case  are,  that  from  time  immemorial 
the  Jarejahs  have  never  reared  their  daughters,  nor  caa 
it  now  be  the  case." 


From  the  Mother^  of  J  era  jke  to  Colonel  Walker, 
Q4.th  Sept.  1807. 

"  Your  letter  has  been  received  and  its  contents  un- 
derstood. You  have  called  upon  Koer  Jehajee  to  rear  up 
his  daughter;  but  it  is  so,  that  for  many  years  past 
none  of  the  Jarejah  tribes  have  ever  reared  their  female 
offspring.  Further  particulars  of  this  concern  you  will 
learn  from  Koer  Jehajee*s  writing;  and  you  must  excuse 
him  on  this  score." — See  No.  13,  referred  to  in  Colonel 
Walker's  Report. 

Zetter  from   Futteii   Mahomed,    Jemadar  to 
Colonel  IValker,—2]st  Oct.  1807. 

^'  It  is  notorious  that  since  the  Avatara  (or  Incarna- 
tion) of  Sri  Chrishna,  the  people  (Jarejahs),  w^ho  are 
de^«?cended  from  the  .fadoos,  have,  during  a  period  of 
4D()0  years,  been  accustomed  to  kill  their  daughters, '^ 
and  it  has,  no  doubt,  reached  your  knowledge,  that  all 
.of  God's  creation,  even  the  mighty  Emperors  of  Hin- 
dostan, — besides  all  others,  the  conductors  of  the  affairs 
of  this  world,  have  preserved  friendship  with  this  Courts 
and  never  acted  in  this  respect  (female  infanticide)  unrea- 
sonably. But  you,  who  are  an  Amir  (Lord)  of  the  Great 
Sirkar,  the  Honorable  Company,  having  written  to  me  on 
this  subject^  I  hfivc  drrivcd  much  uneasiness,  for  it  does 


itspecttng  tlje  ^(11X1000.  ^1 

lidt  accord  with  your  good  character.  This  Durbar  has 
always  maintained  friendship  with  the  Honorable  Com-* 
pany  ;  and,  notwithstanding  this,  you  have  acted  so  un- 
reasonably in  this  respect  that  I  am  much  distressed.— 
No  one  has,  until  this  day,  wantonly  quarrelled  with  this 
Court,  who  has  not,  in  the  end,  suffered  loss. — Do  not 
again  address  me  on  this  subject." — See  No.  20,  as 
above* 


How  conclusive,  in  regard  to  any  further 
interference,  would  these  letters  have  been 
deemed  by  some !  '^  What  more  it  would  be 
*'  said,  can  be  done  wiih prudence, — Enthusiasm 
■^^  alone  would  dictate  further  solicitude  about 
**  this  matter."  But  Colonel  Walker  did  not 
desist  from  his  benevolent  purposes,  because  he 
met  \vith  some  obstacles;  because  he  wished  io 
overcome  them.'*     He  sought  opportunities   of 

*  When  Mr.  Duncan,  the  Governor  of  Bombay,  apprized 
the  Supreme  Government  in  Bengal  of  his  intention  to  endea- 
vour to  abolish  the  practice  of  murdering  female  children  in 
Guzerat,  he  received  in  answer,  an  expression  of  their  appro- 
bation in  the  following  measured  terms  ^  dated  the  31  st  July, 
1806. 

"  We  cannot  but  contemplate  with  approbation  the  con- 
*'  sTderation^  of  humanity,  which  have  induced  you  to-com- 
**  bine,  with  the  proposed  expedition,  the  project  of  suppresR- 
''*  ing  the  barbarous  custom  of  female  infanticide.  Bat  the 
"  speculative  success  even  of  that  benevolent  project^  cannot 

E   2 


^'J 


Cljrfettan  lResearcl)e0 


informing  the  understandings  of  the  peo])lc  in 
respect  to  tlie  nature  of  the  crime;  and  he  dis- 
covered that  it  was  generated  directly  by  Pride, 
Avarice,  and  the  alleged  inferiority  of  xvoman, 
'*  By  discussing  the  subject  frequently  in  the 
"  public  Cutcherry,  (tlie  Court  of  Justice)  and 
*'  exposing  the  enormity  of  the  practice,  as 
*'  contrary  to  the  J3recej)ts  of  religion  and  the 
*'  dictates  of  nature,  every  cast  came  at  length 
"  to  express  an  abhorrence  of  Infanticide;  and 
**  the  obstinate  principles  of  the  Jarejahs  began 
'^  to  be  shaken."  And  what  was  the  result! 
Within  twelve  nionlhs  of  the  date  of  the  fore- 
going letters,  Jarejah  Jehajee  himself,  Jeha- 
jee's  mother,  and  Futteh  ]\Ia homed,  formally 
abjured  the  practice  of  Infanticide,  and  were 
soon  followed  by  the  Jarejah  tribes  in  general. 
.fj.iiAjEE*  first  transmitted  a  writing  to  the  fol- 
lowing eflcct  :  ''  From  motives  of  iViendship 
'''  the  lionqrable  Company  have  urged  me  to 
''  preserve  my  daughters,-^To  tliis  I  consent 
-"  if    the    chiefs    oi'    Nowanaggar    and  Gondal 


**  be  considered  to  justify  the  prosecution  of  measures,  which 

**  mayACxpose   to   hazard  the  essential  interests  of  the  state ; 

"  although,  as. a  collateral  object,  the  pursuit  of  it  would  be 

"  worthy  of  the  benevolence  and  humanity   of  the  Briti«l« 

"  Government." — Moot  s  Hindu  Infanticide,  page  37. 


ns^tttins  tf)e  IDtnlrooe.  5S 

*'  agree."  Shortly  after,  these  chiefs  did  agree, 
and  bound  themselves  by  a  solemn  engagement, 
in  1808,  to  discontinue  the  practice. 

About  the  end  of  the  year  1809>  many  of  the 
Jarejah  Fathers  brought  tlieir  infant  daughters 
to  Colonel  Walker's  tent  ;  ''  and  exhibited  them 
**  with  pride  and  fondness.  Their  mothers  and 
'*  nurses  also  attended  on  tliis  interesting  occa- 
"  sion.  True  to  the  feelings  which  are  found 
"  in  other  countries  to  prevail  so  forcibly,  tlje 
**  emotions  of  nature  here  exhibited  were  ex- 
*'  tremely  moving.  Tlie  nu)thers  placed  the 
"  infants  in  the  hands  of  Colonel  Walker,  call- 
*'  ing  on  him  to  protect  what  he  alone  had 
"  taught  them  to  preserve.  These  intants  they 
*'  einpiiatically  called    nrs   children."* 

The  following;  is  an  extract  of  a  letter  from 
the  Government  of  Bombay  to  the  Honorable 
the  Court  of  Directors,  dated  £Oth  January, 
fyOi). — "  We  congratulate  your  llonoui'able 
Court  on  the  prospect  thus  afforded,  of  extir- 
pating from  the  Peninsula  of  Guzerat  a  cus- 
tom so  long  prevalent,  and  so  outrageous  to 
humanity.  This  object  will  not  be  lost  siglit 
of:  and,  trusting  to  the  aid  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence, we  look  with   con(idence  to  i.ts   <^radua!, 


*  Moor's  Hindu  Infanticide^  p.  30J. 


but  certain,  accomplishment,  to  such  a  degree, 
as  may  form  an  Era  in  the  History  of  Guzerat, 
lastingly  credittible  to  the  English  name  and 
influence." 


This  event  affords  an  invaluable  lesson  con- 
cerning the  character  of  the  Hindoos,  and  the 
facility  of  civilizing  them.  What  was  effected 
in  Guzerat,  in  regard  to  the  murder  of  chil- 
dren, is  equally  practicable  in  Bengal  as, to  the 
burning  of  women,  and  at  Juggernaut  as  to 
self-murder  under  Moloch's  Tower.  "  By  dis- 
"  cussing  the  subject  frequently,*'  says  Colonel 
Walker,  **  in  the  pLd3lic  Cutcherry,  and  expos- 
'*  ing  the  enormity  of  the  practice,  as  contrary 
**  to  the  precepts  of  religion  and  the  dictates 
*'  of  nature,  the  obstinate  principles  of  the 
**  Jarejahs  began  to  be  shaken."  Now  we 
would  ask,  what  is  there  to. prevent  the  custom 
of  BURNING  WOMEN  ALIVE  from  being  dis- 
cussed in  the  public  Cutcherry  of  Calcutta,  and 
''  exposing  the  enormity  of  the  practice,  as 
"  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  religion  and  the 
^*  dictates  of  nature  ?" 

The  English  nation  have  a  right  to  demand 
an  answer  to  this  question  from  tlie  supreme 
Government  in  Bengal, 


respectins  tlje  !j)inlioos;.  55 

The  number  of  females  sacrificed  in  the  pro- 
vinces of  Cutsh  and  Guzerat,  amounted  (as  was 
before  mentioned)  to  three  thousand  'dud  upwards 
annually.  "  The  Jarejahs,"  says  Colonel  Wal- 
ker, **  will  sometimes  remark,  that  their  Gunts 
*'  (or  Priests)  are  poor  and  despised  ;  which 
"  they  made  no  scruple  of  attributing  to  the 
**  sin  of  Infanticide,  and  from  the  wrath  of 
*'  God  for  havino;  the  weio'htof  that  crime  on 
'*  their  heads.  This  singular  opinion,  expressed 
*'  nearly  in  their  owrl  words,  instead  of  pro- 
"  ducing  an  abhorrence  of  the  act,  has  served 
"  to  confirm  their  idea,  that  they  have  nothing 
**  to  do  with  its  j^espoiisihility  and  punishment." 
— Par.  I89.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  in 
almost  all  countries,  it  is  usual  to  impose  the 
chief  responsibility  for  national  immorality  on 
the  Priests  ;  and  we  think  with  mi,ich  justice. 
The  moral  turpitude  of  the  rites  of  Juggernaut 
is,  in  this  way,  excused  by  the  people. — "  It  is," 
say  they,  the  sin  of  the  Priests,  not  ours." 
In  Christian  countries,  also,  there  is  sometimes 
a  secret  persuasion  in  the  minds  of  men,  that 
the  Priest  preaches  the  doctrine  of  "  the  God 
of  this  world,  and  not  thq  doctrine  of  Christ." 
But  they  try  to  jus rify  themselves  in  listening 
to  it,  and  in  "  conforming  to  the  world."  It  is, 
say  they,  the  sin  of  the   Priest,  not  ours.     It 


56  Cljrtsttau  Eesearcljes 

will,  we  apprehend,  appear  to  be  an  aweful 
thing,  at  the  hour  of  death,  to  have  entered  into 
the  Priest's  office, 

A  Jarejah  cliief,  by  name  IIuttajee,  who 
had  preserved  his  daughters,  contrary  to  the 
custom^  brought  them  to  the  British  camp  to 
be  vaccinated.  They  were  between  six  and 
eight  years  of  age,  but  they  wore  turbans,  and 
were  dressed  and  habited  like  boys,  to  avoid 
the  taunts  and  reproaches  of  the  people  ! — 
''  As  if  ashamed  or  afraid  of  acknowledging 
'^  their  sex,  (even  to  the  English)  they  assured' 
"  Colonel  Walker  that  they  were  not  girls  ; 
*'  and  with  infantile  simplicity,  appealed  to 
*^  their  father  to  corroborate  their  assertion." — 
Par.  137.  How  shall  we  be  able  rightly  to 
comprehend  the  mental  debasement  of  tills 
]}eople !  No  sooner  doth  God  create  an  im- 
■^nprtal  soul  in  a  female  form,  than  the  parent 
destroys  it  !  And  if,  by  , any  means,  the  infant 
escape  for  a  few  \years,  she  is  contemplated  as 
a  reproach  to  their  cast  !  And  yet,  abliorrent  to 
natural  feeling  as  this  may  appear,  it  is  certain 
that  it  is  only  the  c.ttrcme  degree  of  a  prin<:iple, 
which  is  commoh  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
where  Christianity  is  not  kno\.vn,  —  namely, 
a  disposition  to  degrade  the  female  character. — 
For,  unless  a  man    can   consider    woman   as  a 


ttspectms  t!)e  lJ)mtJO0S.  57 

partaker  of  the  inimoitality  of  the  Gospel,  and 
"  as  being  an  heir  together  with  him  of  the 
"  grace  of  life," — 1  Pet.  iii.  7^ — he  will  not  ac- 
count her  his  e(|ual,  or  as  entitled  to  eqnal 
iionour.  He  will  estimate  iier  being  in  the  scale 
merely  of  brute  strength,  and  of  power  of  in- 
tellect; that  is,  he  will  consider  her  as  his 
iiif trior,  and  as  formed  to  be  tlie  shive  of  his 
j)leasures. — And,  we  may  add,  the  ur/idditij  of 
Europeans  tends  directly  to  the  same  result. 
It  is  on  record  in  the  annals  of  nations,  that 
])hilosophy,  as  well  as  idohitry,  debased  thus 
the  female  sex.  Christianity  alone  ever  did, 
Christianity  alone  ever  can,  i>ive  due  honor  to 
the  Character  of  WOMAN,  and  exalt  her  to 
her  just  place  in  the  creation  of  God.* 

It  will  give  pleasuK^  to  the  mothers  in  Great 
Britain  to  hear  that  a  n^u^iation  of  tlie  Holy 
Scriptures  is  preparing  for  the  inhabitants  of 
Guzerat. 


*  See,  on  this  subject,  Aupeiuiix  to  the  *' Eras  of  Light," 
preached,  by  the  Author,  before  the  University  qi  Cam- 
bridge. , 

t  The  Guzeraftee  has  been  cultivated  by  Mr,  Drummond, 
Surgeon  on  the  Bombay  Establishment,  who  composed  a  Dic- 
tionary and  Grammar  in  that  language.  And  it  appears,  from 
«he  Reports   of  the    Missionaries  at  Serampore,  that  they  had 


68  cinMim  WitmRui)t$ 

T  A  N  J  O  R  E. 

The  Letters  of  King  George  the  First  to 
tlie  IMissionaries  in  India,  will  form  a  proper 
introduction  to  the  account  which  it  is  now 
intended  to  give  of  the  Christian  Hindoos  of 
Tanjore.  The  fnst  Protestant  Mission  in  India, 
was  founded  by  Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg,  a 
man  of  erudition  and  piety,  educated  at  the  tJn- 
versity  of  Halle,  in  Germany.  He  was  ordain- 
ed by  the  learned  Burmannes,  bishop  of  Zealand, 
jn  his  twenty-third  year,  and  sailed  for  India 
?n  1705.  In  the  second  year  of  his  ministry  he 
founded  a  Christian  Church  among  the  Hindoos, 
which  has  been  extending  its  limits  to  the  pre- 
sent time.  In  1714,  he  returned  to  Europe 
for  a  short  time,  and  on  that  occasion  was 
honoured  with  an  audience  by  His  Majesty 
George  the  First,  who  took  much  interest  in  the 
success  of  the  Mission.  He  \Vas  also  patronized 
by   "    the     Society    for    promoting     Christian 


commenced  a  version  of  the  Scriptures  in  Guzerattee.  The 
Jarejahs  are  described  by  Governor  Duncan,  of  Bombay,  as 
*'  possessing  but  a  very  slight  sense  of  religion  ;  professing, 
"  indeed  but  little  more  than  nominally  the  Hindoo  faith,  and 
*'  living  almost  inditferent  to  the  doctrines  of  any  of  the 
**  Sastras." — Moor's  Infanticide,  p.  39. 


respecting  ti)t  g)irit!aas,  59 

Knowledge,"  which  was  superintended  by  men 
of  distinguished  learning  and  piety.     The  King 
and  the  Society,  encouraged  the  Oriental  Mis- 
sionary to   proceed   in    his  translation    of    the 
Scriptures  into   the    'Ta?7?ul  tongue,  which  they 
desi2:nated  '*  the  o-rand  work."     This  was  indeed 
THE  GRAND  WORK  ;  for  ivhcrcver  the  Scriptures 
are  translated  into  the  vernacular  tongue,  and 
are  open  and    common  to  all,  inviting  enquiry 
and    caiusinp'   discussion,     they    cannot    remain 
- '  a  dead  letter."     When  the  Scriptures  speak  to 
ja  heathen  in  his  own  tongue,  his  conscience  re- 
sponds, *'  This  is  the  word  or  God."    How  littk 
is  the  importance  of  a  version  of  the  Bible  in  a 
new  language  understood   by  some.      The  man 
who  produces  a  translation  of  the  Bible  into  a 
new  language,  like  Wickliffe,  and  Luther,  and 
2iegenba]g,  and  Carey)  is  a  greater  benefactor 
to  mankind  than   the    Prince   who  founds   an 
Empire.     For  the    "  incorruptible   seed   of  the 
word   "  of  God"    can   never  die.     After   ages 
have  resolved,  it  is  still  producing  new  acces- 
sions to  truth  and  human  happiness. 

In    the   year    1719,  Ziegenbalg   finished   the 
Bible   in    the  Tamul   tongue,    having  devoted 
fourteen  years   to  the  work.      The  peculiar  in- 
terest taken  by  the   King  in  his  primary  endea- 
Vour  to  evangelize  the  Hindoos,  will  appear  from 


60  Cl)rfetian  Eesearrijes 

the  following  letters,  addressed  to  the  Mission- 
aries by  his  Majesty. 

"George,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Britain, 
^^  France  and  Ireland,  Defender  of  the  Faith,  &c.  to 
'•  the  Reverend  and  Learned  Bartholomew  Ziegenbal- 
"  gius  and  John  Ernest  Grundlerus,  Missionaries  at 

''  Tranquebar,  In  the  East  Indies. 

« 

./     "  Reverend  and  Beloved, 

*'  Your  letters,  dated  the  20th  of  January  of  tlie  present 
^'  year,  were  most  welcome  to  us  ;  not  only  because  the 
*^  work  undertaken  by  you  of  converting  the  heathen  to 
'^  the  Christian  faith,  doth,  by  the  grace  of  God,  prosper, 
*^  but  also  because  that,  In  tliis  our  kingdom,  such  a 
"  laudable  zeal  for  the  promotion  of  the  gospel  prevails. 

"  We  pray  you  may  be  endued  with  health  and  strength 
^'  of  body,  that  you  may  long  continue  to  fulfil  your 
^'  ministry  with  good  success ;  of  which,  as  we  shall  be 
'*  rejoiced  to  hear,  so  you  will  always  find  us  ready  to 
*^  succour  you  in  whatever  may  tend  to  promote  your 
"  work,  and  to  excite  your  zeal.  We  assure  you  of  the 
"  continuance  of  our  royal  favour. 

"  GEORGE  R, 
*'  Given  at  our  Palace  of  Hampton 
"  Court,  the  23d  of  August, 
'^  A.  D,  1717^  III  the  4th  year 
'^  of  our  reign." 

The  King  continued  to  cherisli,  with  nuich 
solicitude,  the  interests  of  the  mission,  after  the 
death  of  Zfegenhalgius  ;  and  in  ten  years  from 
the  date  of  tlie  foreo;oino^  letter,  a  second    was 


lesipertms  tl)e  ipmtioos.  6i 

addressed  to  the  members  of  the  mission,  by  his 
Majesty. 

"  Reverend  and  Beloved, 

^'  From  your  letters  dated  Tranquebar,  the  12th  of 
"  September,  1725,  which  sometime  since  came  to  hand, 
"  we  received  much  pleasure ;  since  by  them  we  are  in- 
"  'formed,  not  only  of  your  zealous  exertions  in  the  pro- 
*•  secution  of  the  work  committed  to  you,  but  also  of 
*^  the  happy  success  which  hath  hitherto  attended  it, 
*'  and  which  hath  been  graciously  given  of  God. 

"  We  return  you  thanks  for  these  accounts,  and  it  will 
"  be  acceptable  to  us,  if  you  continue  to  communicate 
"  whatever  shall  occur  in  the  progress  of  your  mission. 

*'  In  the  mean  time,  we  pray  you  may  enjoy  strength 
'^  of  body  and  mind  for  the  long  continuance  of  your 
*'  labours  in  this  good  work,  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the 
*'  promotion  of  Christianity  among  the  heathens ;  that  iU 
"  perpetuity  may  not  fail  in  generations  to  come.^ 

«  GEORGE  R. 

"  Given  at  our  Palace  at  St.  James's, 
*'  the  23d  of  February,  1 727,  in 
"  the  30th  year  of  our  Reign." 

But  these  Royal  Epistles  are  nOt  the  only 
evangelic  documents,  of  high  anthority,  in  the 
hands  of  the  Hindoos.  They  are  in  possession 
of  letters  written  by  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, of  the  same  reign  v\  who  supported  the 

*  Niecampius,  Hht.  Mist.        t  Archbishop  Wake. 


62      .       Cljrtsttan  Wit^tdixti)ts 

interests  of  the  mission  with  iinexmnpledlibera-* 
lity,  affection,  and  zeal.  These  letters,  which  are 
many  in  number,  are  all  written  in  the  Latin  lan- 
guage. The  following  is  a  translation  of  his 
Grace's  first  letter;  which  aj)pears  to  have  been 
written  by  him  as  President  of  the  "  Society  for 
*^  promoting  Christian  Knowledge." 

"  To  Bartholomew  Ziegenbalghis^  and  Johu  &nest 
**  Grundlerus,  Preachers  of  the  Christian  faith,  on  the 
"  Coast  of  Coromandel. 

*^  As  often  as  I  behold  your  letters^  Reverend  Brethren, 
*^  addressed  to  the  venerable  Society  instituted  for  tlie 
*^  promotion  of  the  Gospel,  whose  chief  honour  and 
'^  ornament  ye  are,  and  as  often  as  I  contemplate  the 
"  light  of  the  Gospel,  either  now  first  rising  on  the 
*^  Indian  nations,  or  after  the  intermission  of  some  ages 
"  again  revived^  and,  as  it  were  restored  to  its  inheri- 
"•  tancc ;  I  am  constrained  to  magnify  that  singular 
"■^  grodness  of  God  in  visiting  nations  so  remote ;  and 
^'  to  account  you,  my  Brethren,  highly  honoured,  whose 
**  ministry  it  hath  pleased  him  to  employ  in  this  pious 
*'  work,  to  the  glory  of  his  name,  and  the  salvation  of 
*^  so  many  millions  of  souls. 

'•  Let  others  indulge  ip  a  ministry,  if  not  idle,  ccr- 
"  tainly  less  laborious,  among  Christians  at  home, 
^^  Let  them  enjoy  in  the  bosom  of  the  Church,  titles 
*^  and  honours  obtained,  without  labour  and  without 
"  danger.  Your  praise  it  will  be  (a  praise  of  endless 
"  dnrat;ion  on  earth,  and  followed  by  a  just  recompense 
^'  in   heaven)  to   have   laboured   in   xh<c  vineyard  uhick 


'^  yourselves  have  planted ;  to  have  declared  the  naitie 
*^  of  Christ,  where  it  was  not  known  before  ;  and  through 
*^  much  peril  and  difficulty  to  have  converted  to  the 
*»  faith  those  among  whom  ye  afterwards  fulfilled  your 
*'  ministry.  Your  province,  therefore.  Brethren,  your 
"  office,  I  place  before  all  dignities  in  the  Church. 
*'  Let  others  be  Pontiffs,  Patriarchs,  or  Popes ;  let  them 
"  glitter  in  purple,  in  scarlet,  or  in  gold;  let  them  seek 
**  the  admiration  of  the  wondering  multitude,  and  receive 
*'  obeisance  on  the  bended  knee.  Ye  have  acquired 
"  a  better  name  than  they,  and  a  more  sacred  fame. 
^^  And  when  that  day  shall  arrive  when  the  chief  shepherd 
''  sliall  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  work,  a  greater 
*'  reward  shall  be  adjudged  to  you.  Admitted  into  the 
"  glorious  society  of  the  Prophets,  Evangelists,  and 
*'  Apostles,  ye,  with  them,  shall  shine,  like  the  sun  among 
*'  the  lesser  stars,  in  the  kingdom  of  your  Father,  for 
*^  ever. 

*^  Since  then  so  great  honour  is  now  given  unto  yon 
^'  bv  ail  competent  judges  on  earth,  and  since  so  great 
"  reward  is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven  ;  go  forth  with 
"  alacrity  to  that  work,  to  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath 
*'  called  you.  God  Imth  already  given  to  you  an  illui- 
*'  trious  pledge  of  his  favour,  an  increase  not  to  be 
*^  expected  without  the  aid  of  his  grace.  Ye  have  begun 
"  happily,  proceed  with  spirit.  He,  \yho  hath  carried 
'^  you  safely  thiough  the  dangers  of  the  seas  to  sucIj  a 
'^  remote  country,  and  who  hath  given  you  favour  In  tlie  \ 
-*'  eyes  of  those  whose  countenance  ye  most  desired,  he 
*'  who  hath  so  liberally  and  unexpectedly  ministered 
*'  unto  your  wants,  and  who  doth  now  dally  add  member* 
'*^  to   yoLiy  Church ;  he  will  continue  to  prosj>er    your 


64  Cljrt^^tian  Eeseaicljes 

"  endeavours,  and   will   subdue   unto  himself,  by  your 
''  mQans,  the  whole  Continent  of  Oriental  India.  . 

'^  O  happy  men  !  who,  standing  before  the  tribunal  of 
"  Clirist,  shall  exhibit  so  many  nations  converted  to  his 
"  fiiith  by  your  preaching  ;  happy  men  !  to  whom  it 
"  shall  be  given  to  say,  before  the  assembly  of  tlic  whole 
'*  human  race,  '  Bcliold  us,  O  Lord,  and  the  children 
^' whom  thou  hast  given  us-'  happy  men!  who  being 
''  justified  by  tlie  Saviour,  shall  receive  in  that  day  the 
"  reward  of  your  labours,  and  also  shall  hear  tliat  glorious 
"  encomium  ;  '  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servants, 
"  enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord.' 

"  May  Almighty  God  graciously  favor  you  and  your 
"  labours  in  all  things.  May  he  send  to  your  aid  fellow- 
'•  labourers,  such  aiid  as  inaiiy  as  ye  wish.  May  he 
'•'  increase  the  bounds  of  your  Churches.  May  he  open 
''  tlie  hearts  of  those  to  whom  ye  preach  the  Gospel  of 
"  Christ,  that  hearing  you,  they  may  receive  life-giving 
"  faith.  May  he  pn^tect  you  and  yours  from  all  evils 
''  and  dangers.  And  wlien  ye  arrive  (may  it  be  late)  at 
**  the  end  of  your  course,  may  the  same  God,  who  hath 
'•'  called  you  to  this  work  of  the  Gospel,  and  hnth  v;ro- 
"  served  you  in  It,  grant  to  you  tlit-  ri'\'.;^. 
'i  labour,  an  iueorrujjtible  crown  of  glor\ . 

"These  are  tlie  fervent  wishes  and  j.-rd)!  i;,  oi.   \\uv- 
"  rable  Brethren. 

"  \  our  most  faithful 

'•  fellow-servant  in  Christ, 


^^  GULIELMUS  CANT. 


From  our  JPalace  at  Lambeth, 
'  January  7,  a.  d.  J/l^." 


Providence  bath  been  pleased  to  grant  the 
prayer  of  tlie  King,  ^'  that  the  work  might  not 
fail  in  generations  to  come;  and  tlie  prophecy 
of  bis  Archbishop  is  hkely  to  be  fulfilled,  that 
it  should  extend  '^  over  the  whole  Continent  of 
"  Oriental  India." — After  the  first  Missionary, 
Ziegenbalg  had  finished  his  course,  lie  was  fol- 
lowed by  other  learned  and  zealous  men,  upwards 
of  fifty  in  number,  in  the  period  of  a  hundred 
years,  among  whom  were  Schultz,  Ja^nicke 
Gericke,  and  Swartz,  whose  ministry  has  beea 
continued  in  succession  in  different  provinces, 
unto  this  time.  The  present  state  of  the  Mis- 
sion will  appear  by  the  following  extract  from 
the  Journal  of  the  Author^s  Tour  through  these 
provinces. 


*  Tranquehar,  25th  August,  1806. 

^  Tranquebar  was  the  first  scene  of  the  Protestant 
Mission  in  India.  There  are  at  present  three  Mission- 
aries here,  superintending  the  Hindoo  congregations. 
Yesterday  I  visited  the  Church  built  by  Ziegenbalg. 
His  body  lies  on  one  side  of  the  Altar,  and  that  of  his 
fellow  Missionary,  Grundler,  on  the  other.  Above  ar^^ 
the  epitaphs  of  both,  written  in  Latin,  an' 
{>lates  of  brass.     The  Church  was  - 


66  Cijvfelian  Kesearc!)e5 

and  Zlegenbalg,  and  his  companion,  died  in  two  years ' 
after.  They  laid  the  foundation  for  evangelizing  India, 
and  then  departed  ^  having  finished  the  work,  which  was 
given  them  to  do.'  I  saw  also  the  dwelling  house  of 
Ziegenl>alg,  in  the  lower  apartment  of  which  the  regis- 
ters of'  the  Church  are  still  kept.  In  these  I  found  the 
name  of  the  first  heatlien  baptised  by  him,  and  recorded 
in  his  own  hand-writing  in  the  year  1707* — In  Zie-  , 
genbalg's  Church,  and  from  the  pulpit  where  he  stood, 
I  first  heard  the  Gospel  preached  to  a  congregation  of 
Hindoos,  in  their  own  tongue.  The  Missionaries  told 
me  that  religion  had  suffered  much  in  Tranquebar, 
of  late  years,  from  European  Infidelity.  French  prin- 
ciples had  corrupted  the  Danes,  and  rendered  them  in- 
different to  their  own  religion,  and  therefore  hostile  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Hindoos.  '  Religion,'  said  they, 
*  flourishes  more  among  the  natives  of  Tanjore,  and  in 
other  provinces  where  there  are  few  Europeans,  than  here 
or  at  Madras  ;  for  we  find  that  European  example  in  the 
large  towns,  is  the  bane  of  Christian  instruction.' — On^ 
instance  of  hostility  to  the  Mission  they  mentioned,  as 
having  occurred  only  a  few  weeks  before  my  arrival.  On 
the  9th  of  July,  1756,  the  native  Christians  at  Tranque- 
bar  celebrated  a  Jubilee,  in  commemoration  of  the 
Jiftieth  year  since  the  Christian  ministers  brought  the 
Bible  from  Europe.  The  present  year^  1806,  being 
the  second  50th,  preparations  were  made  at  Tranque- 
bar  for  the  second  Jubilee,  on  the  9th  of  last  month ; 
but  the  French  principles  preponderating,  the  Govern- 
ment would  not  give  it  any  public  support;  in  con- 
sequence of  which  the  Jubilee  was  not  observed  with 


'   respecting  tlje  Ibinftco^*  ^7 

that  solemnity  which  was  intended.  But  in  other  places 
where  there  were  few  Europeans,  it  was  celehiated  by 
the  native  Christians  with  enthusiasm  and  every  demon'-' 
stration  of  joy*  When  I  expressed  my  astonishment  at; 
this  hostility,  the  aged  Missionary,  Dr.  John,  said,  '  I 
have  always  remarked  that  the  disciples  of  Voltaire  ai'e 
the  true  enemies  of  Missions,  and  that  the  enemies  of 
Missions  are,  in  general,  the  disciples  of  Voltaire, 


'  Tanjore,  SOth  August,  1806. 

^  On  my  entering  this  province,  I  stopped  an  hour  at  a 
village  near  the  road ;  and  there  I  first  heard  the  name  of 
SwARTZ  pronounced  by  a  Hindoo.  When  I  arrived  at 
the  capital,  I  waited  on  Major  Blackburne,  the  British 
resident  at  the  Court  of  Tanjore,  wlio  informed  me  that 
the  Rajah  had  appointed  the  next  day  at  1 2  o'clock  to 
receive  my  visit.  On  the  same  day  I  went  to  a  place 
called  Swartz's  garden.  It  is  close  to  the  Christian 
village,  where  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kolhoff  resides.  Mr.  Kol- 
hofF  is  the  worthy  successor  of  Mr.  Swartz  ;  and  with  him 
I  found  the  Riev.  Dr.  J©hn,  and  Mr.  Horst,  two  other 
Missionaries  who  were  oi^  a  visit  to  Mr.  KolhofF. 

Next  day  I  visited  the  Rajah  of  Tanjore,  in  company 
with  Major  Blackburne.  When  the  first  ceremonial  wa0 
over,  the  Rajah  conducted  us  to4he  grand  saloon,  which 
was  adorned  by  the  portraits  of  his  ancestors ;  and  im- 
mediately, led  me  up  to  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Swartz.  He 
then  discoursed  for  a  considerable  time  concerning  ^  that 

F  2 


6s  Cfjrfettan  Eeseardjes 

'  good  man'  whom  he  ever  revered  as  '  his  father  and 
guardian/     The  Rajah  speaks  and  writes  English  very 

^  intelligibly. — I   smiled   to   see  Swartz's   picture  amongf 

'  these  Hindoo  kings^  and  thought  with  myself  that  there 
are  many  who  wquld  think  such  a  combination  scarcely 
possible. — I  then  addressed  the  Rajah,  and  thanked  him, 

'in  the  name  of  the  Church  of  England,  for  his  kindness 
to  the  late  Mr.  Swartz,  and  to  his  successors,  and  parti- 
cularly for  his  recent  acts  of  benevolence  to  the  Christians 
residing  within  his  provinces.  The  missionaries  had 
just  informed  me  that  the  Rajah  had  erected  '  a  College 
for  Hindoos,  Mahometans,  and  Christians  ;*  in  which 
provision  wa^  made  for  the  instruction  of  ^  fifty  Christian 
children.'  His  PJighness  is  very  desirous  that  I  should 
visit  this  College,  wjiich  is  only  about  sixteen  miles  from 
the  capital. — Having  heard  of  the  fame  of  the  ancient 
Shanscrit,  and  Mahratta  Library  of  the  kings  of  Tanjore, 
I  requested  his  highness  would  present  a  catalogue  of 
its  volumes  to  the  College  of  Fort- William  -,  which  he 
was  pleased  to  do.  It  is  voluminous,  and  written  in  the 
.^lahratta  character  j  for  that  is  the  proper  language  of  the 
Tanjore  Court. 

^  In  the  evening  I  dined  with  the  resident,  and  the 
Rajah  sent  his  band  of  music,  consisting  of  eight  or 
more  Vinas,  with  other  instruments.  The  Vina  or  Beeiiy 
is  the  ancient  instrument  which  Sir  William  Jones  has 
described  in  his  interesting  descant  on  the  musical  science 
of  the  Hindoos,  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  and  the  sight 
of  which,  he  says,  he  found  it  so  difficult  to  obtai;i  in 
northern  India.  The  band  played  the  English  air  of 
^  God  save  the  King,'  set  to  Mahratta  words,  and  applied 


to  the  Maha  Rajah,  or  Great  King  of  Tanjore.  Two  of 
the  Missionaries  dined  at  the  Resident's  house,  together 
with  some  English  officers.  Mr.  KolhofF  informed  me 
that  Major  Blackburne  has  promoted  the  interests  of  tlie 
Missions  by  every  means  in  his  power.  Major  Black- 
burne is  a  man  of  superior  attainments,  amiable  manners, 
and  a  hospitable  disposition ;  and  is  well  qualified  for  the 
important  station  he  has  long  held,  as  English  Resident^ 
at  this  Court. 

'  On  the  day  following,  I  went  to  view  the  Hindoo 
Temples,  and  saw  the  great  Black  Bull  of  Tanjore. 
It  is  said  to  be  of  one  stone,  hewn  out  of  a  rock  of  granite ; 
and  so  large  that  the  Temple  was  built  around  it.  While 
I  surveyed  it,  I  reflected  on  the  multitudes  of  natives  who, 
during  the  last  hundred  years,  had  turned  away  their  eyes 
from  this  Idol. — When  I  returned,  I  sat  some  hours  with 
the  Missionaries,  conversing  on  the  general  state  of 
Christianity  in  the  provinces  of  Tanjore,  T^itchinopoly, 
Madura,  and  Palamcottah.  They  want  help.  Their 
vineyard  is  increased,  and  their  labourers  are  decreased. 
They  have  had  no  supply  from  Germany  in  the  room  of 
Swartz,  Jsenicke,  and  Gericke ;  and  they  have  no'prospect 
of  further  supply,  except  from  ^  the  Society  for  promot- 
ing Christian  Knowledge ;  who  they  hope  will  be  able  to 
send  out  English  Preachers  to  perpetuate  the  Mission.* 


70  Ci)t(sttanKeseartt)es 


'  Tanjore  Sept  2,  1806. 

'  Last  Sunday  and  Monday  were  interesting  days  to 
me,  at  Tanjore.  It  being  rumoured  that  a  friend  of  the 
late  Mr.  Swartz  had  arrived^  the  people  assembled  from 
all  quarters.  On  Sunday  three  Sermons  were  preached 
in  three  different  languages. — At  eight  o'clock  we  pra-^ 
ceeded  to  the  Church  built  by  Mr.  Swartz  within  the 
Fort.  From-  Mr.  Swartz's  pulpit  I  preached  in  English 
from  Marlt  xiii.  10.  ^  And  the  Gospel  must  first  be 
published  among  all, nations.'  The  English  gentleriien 
here  attended,  civil  and  military,  with  the  Missionaries, 
Catechists,  and  British  soldiers.  After  this  service  was 
ended,  the  congregation  of  Hindoos  assembled  in  the 
same  Church,  and  filled  the  aisles  and  porches.  The 
Tamul  service  commenced  with  some  forms-  of  prayer, 
in  which  all  the  congregation  joined  with  loud  fervour. 
A  chapter  of  the  Bible  was  then  read,  and  a  hymn  of 
Luther's  sung.  After  a  short  extempore  prayer,  during 
which  the  whole  congregation  knelt  on  the  floor,  the  Rev^ 
Dr.  John  delivered  an  animated  Discourse  in  the  Tamul 
tongue,  from  these  words,  'Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying. 
If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink.' — As 
Mr.  Whitfield,  on  his  first  going  to  Scotland,  was  sui*pris- 
ed  at  the  rustling  of  the  leaves  of  the  Bible,  which  took 
place  immediately  on  his  pronouncing  bis  text  (so  diffe- 
rent from  any  thing  he  had  seen  in  his  own  country)  so  I 
was  surprised  here  at  the  sound  of  the  iron  pen  engraving 


the  Palmyra  leaf.  Many  persons  had  their  Olios  in  their 
hands,  writing  the  sermon  in  Tamul  short-hand.  Mr. 
Kolboff  assured  me  that  some  of  the  elder  Students  and 
Catechists  will  not  loose  a  word  of  the  preacher  if  he  speak 
deliberately.*  This,  thought  t,  is  more  than  some  of  the 
Students  at  our  English  Universities  can  do.  This  apti- 
tude of  the  people  to  record  the  vvords  of  the  preacher, 
renders  it  peculiarly  necessary  ^that  tlie  priest's  lips  should 
keep  knowledge.  An  old  rule  of  the  Mission  is,  that  the 
sermon  of  the  morning  should  be  read  to  the  Schools  in 
the  evening,  by  thfe  Catechist,  from  his  Palmyra  leaf. 

'  Another  custom  obtains  among  them  which  pleased 
me  much.  In  the  midst  of  the  discourse,  the  preacher 
sometimes  puts  a  question  to  the  congregation ;  who 
answers  it  without  hesitation,  in  one  voice.  Tlie  object 
is  to  keep  their  attention  awake,  and  the  minister  gene- 
rally prompts  the  answer  himself.  Thus,  suppose  that  he 
is  saying,  '  My  dear  Brethren,  it  is  true  that  your 
profession  of  the  faith  of  Christ  is  attended  with  some 
reproach,  ancT  that  you  have  lost  your  cast  with  th^ 
Brahmins.  But  your  case  is  not  peculiar.  The  man  of 
"the  world  is  the  man  of  cast  in  Europe ;  and  he  despises 
the  humble  and  devout  disciple  of  Christ,  even  as  your 
Brahmin  contemns  the  Sooder,  But,  thus  it  hath  beef^ 
from  the  beginning.  Every  faithful  Christian  must  lose 
cast  for  the  Gospel  3  even  as  Christ  himself,  the  Fore* 

^  It  i&  well  known  that  natives  of  Tanjore  and  Travancore 
can  write  fluently  wh.it  is  spoken  deliberately.  They  do  not 
look  much  at  their  olias  while  writing.  The  fibre  of  the  leaf 
guides  the  pen. 


72  Cljrisitian  W^mttW 

runner,  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  was  despised 
and  rejected  of  men.  In  like_  manner,  you  will  be 
despise^;  but  be  of  good  cheer,  and  say.  Though  we 
have  lost  our  cast  and  inheritance  amongst  men,  we  shall 
receive  in  heaven  a  new  name  and  a  better  inheritance, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.'  He  then  adds,  '  What, 
my  beloved  Brethren,  shaH  you  obtain  in  heaven  ?'  They 
answer,  '  A  new  name  and  a  better  inheritance,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.'  It  is  impossible  for  a  stranger 
not  to  be  affected  with  this  scene. — This  custom  is  de- 
duced from  Zi^genbalg,  who  proved  its  us6  by  long  expe- 
rience. 

'  After  the  Sermon  was  ended,  I  returned  with  the 
Missionaries  into  the  vestry  or  library  of  the  Church. 
Here  I  was  introduced  to  the  Elders  and  Catechists  of 
the  congregation.  Among  others  came  Sattianaden, 
the  Hindoo  preacher,  one  of  whose  Sermons  was  pub- 
lished in  England  some  years  ago,  by  the  Society  for 
promoting  Christian  Knowledge.  He  is  now  advanced 
in  years,  and  his  black  locks  have  grown  gray.  As  I 
returned  from  the  Church,  I  saw  the  Christian  families 
going  back  in  crowds  to  the  country,  and  the  boys  look- 
ing at  their  ollas.  What  a  contrast,  thought  I,  is  this  to 
the  scene  at  juggernaut !  Here  there  is  becoming  dress, 
humane  affections,  and  rational  discourse,  t  see  here  no 
skulls,  no  self-torture,  no  self-murder,  no  dogs  and  vul- 
tures tearing  human  flesh!  Here  the  Christian  virtues 
are  found  in  exercise  by  the  feeble-minded  Hindoo,  in 
a  vigour  and  purity  which  will  surprise  those  who  have 
iiever  known  the  iiative  character  but  under  the  greatest 
disadvantages^    as   in  Bengal.      It  certainly  surprised 


rnyself ;  and  when  I  reflected  on  the  moral  condtict,  up*':^;^^ 
right  dealing,  decent  dress,  and  decorous  manners  of  the 
native  Christians  of  Tanjore,  I  found  in  my  breast  a  new 
evidence  of  the  peculiar  excellence  and  benign  influence' 
of  the  Christian  Faith. 

^  At  four  b^clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  attended  Divine 
Service  at  the  Chapel  in  the!  Mission  Garden  out  of  the 
Fort.  The  Rev.  Mi\  Horst  preached  in  the  Portuguese 
Language.  The  organ  here  accompanied  the  voice  in 
singing.  I  sat  on  a  granite  stone  which  covered  the 
grave  of  Swartz.  The  epitaph  is  in  English  verse, 
written  by  the  present  Rajah,  and  signed  by  him, 
'  Serfogee.' — In  the  evening  Mr.  Kolhoff^  presided  at 
the  exercise  in  the  schools :  on  which  occasion  the 
Taniul  Sermon  was  repeated ;  and  thd  boys'  ollas  ex- 
amined. 

'  In  coriscquence  of  my  having  expressed  a  wish  to 
hear  Sattianaden  preach,  Mr.  Kolhoff^  had  given  noticd 
that  there  would  be  divine  service  next  day,  Monday. 
Accordingly  the  chapel  in  Swartz's  garden  Was  crowded 
at  an  early  hour.  Sattianaden  delivered  his  Discourse 
in  the  Tamul  language,  with  much  natural  eloquence, 
and  with  visible  effect.  His  subject  was  the  '  Marvel- 
lous Light.'  He  first  described  the  pagan  darkness, 
then  the  light  of  Ziegenbalg,  then  the  light  of  Swartz, 
and  then  the  heavenly  light,  ^  when  there  shall  be  no 
more  need  of  the  light  of  the  sun,  or  of  the  moon.*  In 
quoting  a  passage  from  Scripture,  he  desired  a  lower 
minister  to  read  it,  listening  to  it  as  to  a  record ;  and 
then  proceeded  to  the  illustration.  The  responses  by 
the  audience  were  more  frequently  called  for  than  in 


74  €i)vMm  Eesieardjes 

the  former  Sermon.  He  concluded  with  praying  fer- 
vently for  the  glory  and  prosperity  of  the  Church  of 
England. — After  the  Sermon,  1  went  up  to  Sattianaden^ 
and  the  old  Christians  who  had  known  Swartz  came 
around  us.  They  were  anxious  to  h(Sx  something  of 
the  progress  of  Christianity  in  the  North  of  India. 
They  said  they  had  heard  good  news  frofti  Bengal.  I  told 
ihem  that  the  news  were  good,  but  that  Bengal  was 
exactly  a  hundred  years  behind  I'anjore. 
.  '  I  have  had  long  conversations  with  the  Missionaiies 
relating  to  the  present  circumstances  of  the  Tanjore 
Mission.  It  is  in  a  languishing  state  at  this  moment, 
in  consequence  of  the  war  on  tlie  Continent  of  Euro]>e. 
Two  of  its  sources  have  dried  up,  the  Royal  College  at 
Copenhagen,  and  the  Orphan-House  at  Halle,  in  Ger- 
many. Their  remaining  resource  from  Europe  is  the 
stipend  of  '  The  Society  for  promoting  Christian  Know- 
ledge ;'  whom  they  never  mention  but  with  emotions  of 
gratitude  and  affection.  But  this  supply  is  by  no  means 
commensurate  with  the  increasing  number  of  their 
Churches  and  Schools.  The  chief  support  of  the  Mission 
is  derived  from  itself,  Mr.  Swartz  had  in  his  life  time 
acquired  a  considerable  property,  through  the  kindness  v 
of  the  English  Government  and  of  the  Native  Princes. 
When  he  was  dying,  he  said,  '  Let  the  cause  of  Christ 
be  my  heir.'  When  his  colleague,  the  pious  Gericke, 
was  departing,  he  also  bequeathed  his  property  to  the 
Mission.  And  now  Mr.  Kolhoff  gives  from  his  private 
funds  an  annual  sum  ;  not  tliat  he- can  well  afford  it ;  but 
the  Mission  is  so  extended,  that  Iwj  gives  it_,  he  told  me, 
to  presf  rve  tli^  n,ew  aB4.TcP>^t|B  congregations  ii\£mtena\ 


He  stated  that  there  were  upwards  of  tea  thousand  Pjro-  • 
testant  Christians  belonging  to  the  Tanjore  and  Tinnavelly 
districts  alone,  who  had  not  among  them  one  Complete 
copy  of  the  Bible  ;  and  that  not  one  Christian  perhaps  in 
a  hundred^  had  a  New  Testament ;  and  yetthei'e  are  some 
copies  of  the  Tamul  Scriptures  still  to  be  sold  at  Tran- 
xjuebar;  but  the  poor  natives  cannot  afford  to  purchase 
them.  When  I  mentioned  the  designs  of  the  Bible 
Society  in  England,  they  received  the  tidings  with  very 
sensible  emotions  of  thankfulness.  Mr.  Horst  said,  If 
only  every  tenth  person  were  to  obtain  a  copy  of  the 
Scriptures,  it  would  be  an  event  long  to  be  remembered 
in  Tanjore.  They  lamented  much  tliat  they  were  desti- 
tute  of  the  aid  of  a  printing-press,  and  represented  to  me 
tliat  the  progress  6f  Christianity  had  been  materially  re- 
tarded of  late  years  by  tlie  want  of  that  important  auxi«- 
iiary.  They  have  petitioned'  the  Society  for  promoting 
Christian  Knowledge  to  send  them  one.  They  justly 
observed,  If  you  can  no  longer  send  us  Missionaries  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  send  us  the  means  of  printing  the 
Gospel.*      The   Tranquelmr   Mission   and  the   Madras 


*  The  Brahmins  in  Tanjore  have  procured  a  press,  "  which 
they  dedicate  (say  the  Missionaries,  in  their  last  letter)  to  the 
glory  of  their  gods:"  but  their  Missionaries,  who  first  intro- 
duced the  civilization  of  Christianity  at  the  Tanjore  capital,  are 
stilj  without  one.  Printing  is  certainly  the  legitimate  instru- 
ment of  the  Christian  for  the  promulgation  of  Christianity.  1?Ve 
Frotestnnts  have  put  it  into  the  hands  of  the  Brahmins,  and  w« 
ought  to  see  to  it  that  the  teachers  of  our  own  religion  are  poi- 
sed of  au  equa}  ad^aotage. 


76  Cljrtsittan  iae5earcl)es 

Mission  have  botli  possessed  printing-presses  for  a  long* 
period  j  by  the  means  of  which  they  have  been  exten- 
sively useful  in  destributing  the  Scriptures  and  religious 
publications  in  several  languages.  The  Mission  Press  at 
Tranquebar  may  be  said  to  have  been  the  fountain  of  all 
the  good  that  was  done  in  India  during  the  last  century. 
It  was  established  by  Ziegenbalg.  From  this  press,  in 
conjunction  with  that  at  Halle,  in  Germany,  have  proceed- 
ed volumes  in  Arabic,  Syriac,  Hindostanee,  Tamul, 
Telinga,  Portuguese,  Danish,  and  English.  I  have  in  my 
possession  the  Psalms  of  David  in  the  Hindostanee 
Language,  printed  in  the  Arabic  character ;  and  the  His- 
tory of  Christ  in  Syriac,  intended  probably  for  the  Syro- 
Romish  Christians  on  the  sea-coast  of  Travancore, 
whom  a  Danish  missionary  once  visited,  both  of  which 
volumes  were  edited  by  the  Missionaries  of  Tranquebar. 
There  is  also  in  Swartz's  Library  at  Tanjore  a  grammar  of 
the  Hindostanee  Language  in  quarto,  published  at  the 
same  press  ;  an  important  fact  which  was  not  known  at 
the  College  of  Fort  William,  when  Professor  Gilchrist 
commenced  his  useful  labours  in  that  Language.' 


*  Tanjore,  Sept,  3,  180(5. 

*  Before  I  left  the  capital  of  Tanjore,  the  Rajah  was 
pleased  to  honour  me  with  a  second  audience.  On  this 
occasion  he  presented  to  me  a  portrait  of  himself,  a  very 
striking  likeness,  painted  by  a  Hindoo  artist  at  the  Tan* 


jore  Court.* — The  Missionary,  Dr.  John,  accompanied 
me  to  the  palace.  The  Rajah  received  him  with  much 
kindness,  and  presented  to  him  a  piece  of  gold  cloth, 
Of  the  resident  Missionary,  Mr.  Kolhoff,  whom  the 
Rajah  sees  frequently,  he  spoke  to  me  in  terms  of  high 
approbation.  This  cannot  he  very  agreeable  to  the  Brah- 
mins 'y  but  the  Rajah,  though  he  yet  professes  the  Brah- 
minical  religion,  is  no  longer  obedient  to  the  dictate  of 
the  Brahmins,  and  they  are  compelled  to  admit  his  supe- 
rior attainments  in  knowledge.— I  passed  the  chief  part 
of  this  morning  in  looking  over  Mr.  Swartz's  manuscripts 
and  books  :  and  when  I  was  coming  away,  Mr.  KolhofF 
presented  to  me  a  Hebrew  Psalter,  which  had  been  Mr. 
Swartz's  companion  for  fifty  years  ;  also  a  brass  lamp 
which  he  had  got  first  when  a  Student  at  the  College  of 
Halle,  and  had  used  in  his  lucubrations  to  the  tiiiue  of  his 
death ;  for  Mr.  Swartz  seldom  preached  to  the  natives  icith- 
eut  previous  study,  I  thought  I  saw  the  image  of  Swartz 
in  his  successor.  Mr.  KolhofF  is  a  man  of  great  simpli- 
city of  manners,  of  meek  deportment,  and  of  ardent 
zeal  in  the  cause  of  revealed  Religion,  and  of  humanity. 
jHe  walked  with  me  tlirough  the  Christian  village  close 
to  his  house ;  and  1  was  much  pleased  to  see  the  affec- 
tionate respect  of  the  people  towards  him ;  the  young 
people  of  both  sexes  coming  forward  from  the  doors  on 
both  sides,  to  salute  him  and  receive  his  benediction.'f 

*  It  is  now  placed  in  the  public  Library  of  the  University  of 
Cambridge. 

t  That  I  may  give  to  those  who  are  interested  in  the  promo- 
Uon  of  Christianity  in  the  East,  a  more  just  view  of  the  cha.- 


7  s  €t)vmim  mmmfii^ 


^  September-  4t7i,  iSO($, 

'  Leaving  Tanjore,  I  passed  through  the  woods  in-* 
habited  by  the  CoUaries  (or  thieves)  now  humanized  by 
Christianity.  When  they  understood  who  1  was,  they 
followed  me  on  the  road,  stating  their  destitute  condition. 


meter  of  Swartz's  successor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kolhoff,  I  shall  sub- 
join an  extract  of  a  Letter,  which  I  have  since  received  from 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Horst. 

"  Tanjore,  Sept.  24th,  ISO/, 

*'  The  Rev.  Mr.  KolhofF  is  sometimes  rather  weak,  on  ac- 
count of  so  many  and  various  cares  that  as&ail  him  without 
ceasing.  He  provides  for  the  wants  of  this  and  the  Southern 
Missions  (Tritchinopoly  excepted)  by  disbursing  annually 
upwards  of  one  thousand  pagodas  (about  2501.  sterling)  cut 
of  his  private,  purse,  partly  to  make  up  the  difference  between 
the  income  and  expenditure  of  this  and  the  Southern  Mission 
(of  which  I  annex  an  abstract)  and  the  rest  in  assisting  the 
deserving  poor,  without  regard  to  religion  j  and  for  various  pioQ3 
uses.  To  him  as  Arbitrator  and  Father,  apply  all  Christians  that 
are  at  variance,  disturbed  from  without  or  from  within,  out  of 
service  or  distressed  j  for  most  of  our  Christians  will  do  any 
thing  rather  than  go  to  law, 

"  All  these  heterogeneous,  but,  to  a  Missionary  at  Tanjore, 
unavoidable  avocations,  joined  to  the  ordinary  duties  of  his  sta- 
tion, exejcise  his  mind  early  and  late  J  and  if  he  be  not  of  a 
robust  constitution,  will  undermine  his  health  at  last.  Happily 
several  neighbouring  Churches  and  New  congregations,  belong- 
ing to  the  Mission  of  Tanjore,  afford  Mr.  Kolhoff' frequent  op- 
j^ortunities  to  relax  his  mind,  and  to  rqcruit  bU  health  and  sp'i- 


reispecttng  tije  5)m6oos^*  79 


ill  regard  lo  religious  instruction.  They  were  clamorous 
for  Bibles.  They  supplicated  for  teachers,  '  We  don't 
want  bread  or  money  from  you,'  said  they ;  *  but  we 
\vant  the  word  of  Go^/-— Now,  thought  I,  whose  duty  is 
il  to  attend  to  the  moral  wants  of  this  people  ?  Is  it  that 
4;f  the  I'nglish  nation,  or  of  some  other  nation  ?' 


^  Tritckinopoly,  September  5tli. 

*  The  first  Church  built  by  Swartz  is  at  this  place^ 
It  is  called  Christ*s  Church,  and  is  a  large  building, 
capable  of  containing  perhaps  two  thousand  people.  The 
aged  Missionary,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pohld^  presides  over  this 
Church,  and  over  the  native  congregations  ■  at  this  place. 
Christianity  flourishes  ;  but  I  found  that  here,  as, at  other 
places,  there  is  a  '  famine  of  Bibles.'  The  Jubilee  vTiS 
celebrated  on  the  19th  of  July,  being  the  hundredth  year 
from  the  amval  of  the  messengers  of  the  Gospel.  On 
this  occasion  their  venerable  Pastor  preached  from  Matth. 
xxviii.  19.  'Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,   and  of  the 


rits,  by  making  occasional  short  excursions  to  see  these  new 
Christians,  who  were  professed  ihievts  only  a  few  years  ago,  and 
many  of  them  are  now  an  honour  to  the  Christian  professioUf  and 
industrious  peasants.  It  is  pleasing  to  behold  the  anxiety  with 
which  a  great  number  of  our  Christian  children  inquire  at  such 
times  when  their  father  will  return  j  -and  how  they  run  several 
miles  to  meet  him  with  shouts  and  clapping  of  hands,  and 
hynlns  of  thanks  to  God,  as  soon  as  they  djscern  his  palankeen 
Ota  distance." 


80  eijristtau  Eesearcljes 

Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.*— At  this  station,  thfi'e  are 
about  a  thousand  English  troops.  Mr.  Pohle  being  a 
Germari,  dojes  not  speak  English  very  well  5  but  he  Is 
reverenced  for  his  piety  by  the  English  ;  and  both  officers 
and  men  are  glad  to  hear  the  religion  of  their  country 
preaclied  in  any  way.— On  the  Sunday  morning,  I  preach- 
ed in  Christ's  Church  to  a  full  assembly  from  these  words, 
^  For  we  have  seen  his  Star  in  the  East,  and  are  come  to 
worship  him.'  Indeed,  what  I  had  seen  in  these  provinces 
-  rendered  this  text  the  most  appropriate  I  could  select. 
Next  day,  some  of  the  English  soldiers  came  to  me,  desi- 
ring to  know  how  they  might  procure  Bibles.  ^  It  is  a 
delightful  thing,'  said  ozie  of  them,  ^  to  hear  our  own 
religion  preached  by  Our  own  countryman.'  I  am  inform- 
ed'that  there  are  at  this  time  above  twenty  English  regi- 
ments in  India,  and  that  not  one  of  them  has  a  chaplain. 
The  men  live  without  religion,  and  when  they  die,  they 
bury  each  other  !  O  England,  England  !  it  is  not  for 
thine  own  goodness  that  Providence  giveth  thee  the 
treasures  of  India  ! 

^  I  proceed  hence  to  visit  the  Christian  *  Churches  iij 
the  province  of  Madura  and  Tinnavelly.' 

The  friends  of  Christianity  in  India  have  had 
it  in  their  power  to  afford  some  aid  to  the  Chris- 
tian Churches  in  Tanjore.  On  the  1st  of  Janu- 
ary, 18  JO,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  preached  a  Ser- 
mon at  Calcutta,  in  which  he  represented  the 
petition  of  the  Hindoos  for  Bibles.  A  plain 
statement  of  the  fact  was  sufficient  to  open  the 


veBptttin^  ff)e  t)tnlii0O0.  %i 

hearts  of  the  public.  A  subscription  wasimme- 
cliately  set  on  toot,  and  Lieut.-General  Hewitt, 
Commandev-td-Chief,  then  deputy  Governor  in 
Bengal,  subscribed  5^501.  '  The  chief  officers  of 
government,  and  the  principal  inhabitants  of 
Calcutta,  raised  the  subscription,  iti  k  fe\V  days, 
to  the  sum  of  lOOOl.  sterling,  ^^liistructianfe 
were  sent  to  Mr.  Kolhoff  to  buy  irp'-aH '  the 
copies  of  tlie  Tamul  Scriptures,  to  distribute 
them  at  a  small  price  amongst  the  natives,  antl 
order  a  new  edition  to 'fee  printed  off  without  loss 
of  time.* 


*  The  chi6f  names  in  this  subscription,  besides  that  of 
General  Hewitt,  were  Sir  Jbhn  Royds,  Sir  W.  Bmroughs, 
John  Lumsden,  Esq.  George  Udney,  Esq.  J. -H.  Hiarington, 
Esq.  Sir  John  D'Oyley,  Colonel  Carey,  John  Thornhill,  Esq. 
H.  C.  Plowden,  Esq.  Thos.  Hayes,  Esq.  W.  Egerton,  Esq. 
&c.  &c. 

Thn?,  whHe  we  are  disputirt^  in  England,  whether  the  Bible 
ought  to  be  given  to  the  Hindoos,  the  Deputy  Governor  in 
Bengal,  the  Members  of  the  Supreme  Council,  and  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Judicature,  and  the  chief  officers  of  the 
Government,  after  perusing  the  information  concerning  the 
state  of  India  sent  from  this  country,  are  satisfied  that  it  Is  an 
important  duty,  and  a  Christian  obligation. 


82^  Cljtistian  iaesearc|)fs 


VERSIONS  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 
FOR  THE  HINDOOS. 

Havi^kg  now  seen  what  the  Hindoos  are  in 
their  state  of  idolatry,  as  at  Juggernaut,  and 
in  Bengal;  and  what  they  may  becojne  under 
the  in^fluence  of  Christianity,  as  at  Tranquebar, 
Tritchinopoly>  and  Tanjore,  it  remains  that  we 
give  some  account  of  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  the  languages  of  the  Hindoos. 

There  are  five  principal  languages  spoken  by 
Hindoos  in  countries  subject  to  the  British 
Empire.  These  are,  the  Hindostaneey  wliich 
pervades  Hindostan  generally;  and  the  four 
languages  of  the  four  great  provinces,  viz.  the 
Bengalee,  for  the  province  of  Bengal ;  the 
Ttlinga,  for  the  Northern  Sircars;  l\\Q  Tcnmd, 
for  Coroniandel  and  the  Carnatic ;  and  the 
Malay allm  or  Malabar y  for  the  coast  of  Malabar 
and  Travancore. 

Of  these  five  languages,  there  are  two  into 
which  the  Scriptures  are  already  translated  ;  tlie 
Tamid,  hy  the  Danish  Missionaries  in  the  last 
century ;  and  the  Bengalee,  by  the  Baptist  Mis- 
sionaries from  England.  The  remaining  three 
languages  are  in  progress  of  translation ;    the 


Hiiidostanee,  by  the  llev.  Henry  Martin,  B.  D. 
Chaplain  in  Bengal ;  the  JMalabar,  by  ^lar  Dio- 
nysius,  Bishop  of  the  Syrian  Ciiristians  in  Tra- 
vancore ;  both  of  which  translations  will  be 
noticed  more  particularly  hereafter;  and  the 
Ttlhiga,  by  Aixanda  Rayer,  a  Telinga  Brahmin, 
by  birth  a  JNIahratta,  under  the  superintendance 
of  Mr.  Augustus  Desgranges,  at  Vizagapatam, 
a  Missionary  belonging  to  the  London  Soci- 
ety.* 

Ananda  Rayer,  a  Brahmin  of  high  cast,  was 
lately  converted  to  the  (Christian  faith,  and  has 
given  undoubted  proofs  of  the  serious  impres- 
sion of  its  principles  on  his  heart.f     It  is  remark- 


*  The  Christian  church  has  now  to  lament  the  loss  of  two 
of  the  Tr:ui,s]ators  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  mentioned  in  this 
page,  viz.  the  venerable  bishop  of  the  Syrian  church.  Mar 
Dionysias,  and  the  j  oung  missionary,  Mr.  Augustus  Desgranges, 
Tlitir  WORKS  do  follow  them.  P^eV.  xiii.  14.  '^  Pray  ye, 
therefore,  the  I^rd  of  the  "  Harvest  that  ye  would  send  forth 
more  labourers  into  his  *'  Harvest."  Luke  x.  2.  Second 
Edition. 

t  The  Account  of  Ananda  Rayer *s  converfiion  is  given  by 
tJie  Rev.  Dr.  John,  the  aged  missionary  at  Tranquebar,  in 
a  letter  to  Mr.  Desgranges.— -This  Brahmin  applied^  (as  maTiy 
Brahmins  and  other  Hindoos  constantly  do)  to  an  older  Brah- 
min of  some  fame  for  sanctity,  to  know  *'  what  he  should  d6 
*'  that  he  might  be  saved  ?"  The  old  Brahmin  told  him,  that 
he  muit  repeat  a  certain  prayer  four  iack  of  times  :  that  is^ 


84  Cijrtstian  IReseardjes: 

able  that  versions  of  the  Scriptures  should' be 
now  preparing  for  the  Mahoniedans  and  Hin- 

400^000  times.     This  he  perfornoed  in  a  Pagoda,  in  six  months  5 
and  added  many  painful  ceremonies.     But  finding  no  comforter 
peace  from  these  external  rites,   he  went  to  a  Romish  Priest^ 
and  asked  him  if  he  knew  what  was  the  true  religion  ?     'th% 
Priest  gave  him  some  Christian  books  in  the  Telinga  language, 
and,  after  a  long  investigation  of  Christianity,   the   inquiring 
Hindoo  had  no  doubt  remaining  on  his  mind,  that ''  Chrtst  was 
the  ''  Saviour  of  the  world."     But  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the 
Romish  worship  in  many  points  :   he  disliked  the  adoration  of 
images,  and  other  superstitions  ;  and  having  heard  from  the 
Priests   themselves,   that  the   Protestant  Christians  at  Taujore 
and  Tranquebar,  professed  to  have  a  purer  faith,  and  had  got 
the  Bible  translated,    and  worshipped  no  images,   he  visited 
Dr.  John  and  other   Missionaries  at  Tranquebar,    where  he 
remained  four  months,  conversing,  says   Dr.  John,   "  almost 
"  every  day  with  me,"   and  examining   the  Holy  Scriptures, 
He  soon  acquired  the  Tamul  language  (which  has  affinity  with 
the  Telinga)  that  he  might  read  the  Tamul  translation  ;  and 
he  finally  became  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Church.  ^ 

The  Missionaries  at  Vizagapatam  being  in  want  of  a  learned- 
' Telinga  scholar  to  assist  them  in  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
jjuto  the  Telinga  language.  Dr.  John  recommended  Anapda 
Bayer  i  '*  for  he  was  averse,"  says  he,  ''to  undertake  any 
'^  worldly  employment,  and  had  a  great  desire  to  be  useful  to 
^^  his  brethren  of  the  Telinga  nation."  The  reverend  Mis- 
sionary concludes  thus  :  "  What  Jesus  Christ  hath  required  of 
'^  his  followers,  this  man  hath  literally  done  5  he  hath  left 
/'  father,  mpther,  sisters  and  brothers,  and  houses  and  lands, 
**.  for  the  Gospel's  sake,"  . .  ■ 

See  Dr.  John's  Letter,  dated  29th  January,   1S08,  -coramu* 
iiicated  to  the  Bible  Society  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown. 


tioos,  by  their  own  converted  countrymen  ; — 
namely,  the  Persian  and  Arabic  versions  by 
Sabat  the  Arabian  ;  apd  the  Telinga  versior/ 
by  Ananda  Rayer,  the  Telinga  Brahmir* 
Tiie  latter  has  translated  the  four  Gospels,  and 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  The  progress  of 
Sabat  in  his  translations  will  be  noticed  here- 
after. 


THE 


SHANSCRIT  SCHOOL. 

The  Baptist  Mission,  in  Bengal,  commenced 
about  the  year  1793  ;  and  to  it  chiefly  belongs 
the  honor  of  reviving  the  spirit  for  promoting 
Christian  knowledge,  by  translations  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  By .  the  cultivation  of  the 
Shanscrit  language,  which  is  the  parent  of 
]^any  others,  tliey  find  it  easy  to  superintend 
visions  in  the  connate  tongues,  such  as  the 
Orissa,  MahmtU/y  Bengalee^  Caniata,  and  G^*- 
z€7'atiee.  The  primeval  Shanscrit,  like  an  aged 
Hanian  Tree,  has  many  daughters  growing 
round  her  in  Hindostan.  Dr.  Carey  is  dis- 
tinguished for  his  acquisitions  in  this  language, 
and  has  published  a  copious  Grainmar  of  it. 


86 


Christian  Eeseavcftes 


lie  has  also  composed  short  Grammars  in  the 
Mahratta  and  Ben2:alee  tongues  :  and,  in  con- 
jiinction  with  liis  fellow-missionary,  Mr.  Marsh- 
man,  has  translated  into  English  two  volumes 
of  the  ancient  Shanscrit  work,  called  the  Ra- 
mayioia  ;  and  performed  various  other  services 
to  Oriental  literature.  The  labours  of  Mr. 
Marshman  in  the  Chinese,  have  been  alread}^ 
noticed. 

The  followins:  is  the  state  of  the  translations 
at  the  Mission  Press  at  Serampore,  as  extracted 
from  the  last  Report, 


g»|)an£)crit. 


Bekgalee, 

OllISSA,       . 


Mahratta,  . 

HiNDOSTANEE, 


New  Testament  printed  ; 
and  part  of  the  Penta- 
teuch. 
The  whole  Bible  printed. 
New  Testament  printed ; 
and   part   of    the   Old 
Testament. 
Gospels  and  Acts  printed. 
New    Testament   printed 
to  the  end  of  Romans. 


Besides  these  languages,  and  the  Chinese 
before-mentioned,  translations  had  been  com- 
menced in  the  Seik,  the  Carnata,  Tel'wga,  Ga- 
zer at  tee,  and  Barman, 


reBpecting  t\)t  l^inaooof.  87 

It  has  been  objected  that  the  same  persons 
cannot  possibly  arrive  at  a  critical  knowledge 
of  so  many  languages.  And  it  is  true  that 
every  one  of  the  above  is  as  difficult  to  acquire 
and  pronounce,  as  French,  Greek,  or  Latin  ; 
and,  perhaps,  there  is  no  instance  on  record 
of  a  man  being  able  to  preach  or  compose,  in 
more  than  two  languages  well.  But  it  is  to  be 
understooil  that  tlie  natives  themselves  are  pro- 
perly the  translators  ;  and  if  we  have  confidence 
in  the  integrity  of  the  man,  we  may  depend 
with  some  certainty  on  the  integrity  of  the 
translation.  Besides,  it  is  well  known  that  it 
does  not  require  a  profound  knowledge  of  a 
language,  to  superintend  a  translation  in  it,  and 
to  detect  wilful  and  flagrant  error.  For  in- 
stance, a  scholar  in  England  may  judge  of  the 
accuracy  of  a  version  from  the  Greek  language, 
though  he  cannot  preach  in  Greek.  Another 
consideration  is,  that  no  translation  can  be 
absolutely  perfect.  Our  English  translation  is 
not  perfect  ;  nor  is  it  necessary  that  it  should. 
Slight  variations  in  words  affect  not  the  essen- 
tial doctrines,  or  important  facts,  of  the  Bible, 
any  more  than  spots  in  the  sun  obscure  its 
light.  The  light  of  truth  still  shines  upon  us, 
the  Will  of  God  is  still  revealed  to  us,  though 
the  idiom  of  the  language  in  which   it   is  con- 


veyed,  be  changed  from  age  to  age ;  or  though 
some  of  the  original  words,  in  which  that  Will 
was  first  given,  he  lost  from  the  page  for  ever. 

It  is,  moreover,  to  be  considered  how  impor- 
tant it  is  that  even  the  smallest  portion  of  Holy 
Scripture  be  translated  into  a  Jiew  language. — 
'*  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
"  and  is  profitable  for  instruction  in  righteous- 
"  ness." — 2  Tini.  iii.  iG.  A  single  book,  a  sin- 
gle chapter  has  often  been  blessed  to  the  con- 
version of  individuals,  both  in  England  and  iu 
India;  and  they  have  died  in  the  faith  without 
knowing  much  of  other  parts  of  the  Bible. 
How  many  excellent  Christians  in  our  own 
country  die  in  early  life,  without  knowing  any 
thing  of  the  prophetical  books  ? — How  many 
remain  ignorant,  even  to  advanced  years,  of  the 
spiritual  analogies  of  the  Levitical  Law  ?  We 
have  no  hesitation  in^  laying  down  this  posi- 
tion :  The  more  tramlations  ef  the  Scriptures  the 
Missionaries  commence,  the  better.  Even  in 
their  most  imperfect. state,  like  Wickliife's  ver- 
sion in  a  remote  age,  they  will  form  a  basis  for 
gradual  improvement  by  succeeding  generations. 
Besides,  the  very  best  translation  nmst,  in  the 
lapse  of  ages,  change  with  a  changing  lan- 
guage, like  the  leaves  of  a  tree  w^hich  fall  in 
autumn  and   are  renewed   in  spring.     The   two 


original  languages  of  Revelation  are  by  the 
Providence  of  God  preserved  to  us,  (how  won- 
derful that  Providence  !)  and  remain  constant ; 
but  the  living  tongues  will  be  ever  varying  and 
flowing,  like  a  stream,  to  the  end  of  time. 


THE  CEYLONESE. 


In  the  island  of  Ceylon,  the  population  under 
the  British  Government  amounts,  according  to 
the  best  authorities,  to  upwards  of  a  million  and 
a  half;  and  one  third  is  supposed  to  profess 
Christianity.  This  population  was  divided  by 
the  Dutch,  while  they  had  possession  of  the 
island,  into  240  church-ships,  and  three  native 
schoolmasters  were  appointed  to  each  church- 
ship.  The  Dutch  goverpment  never  gave  an 
official  appointment  to  any  native  who  was  not  a 
Christian  ;  a  distinction  which  was  ever  consider- 
ed by  them  as  a  wise  policy,  as  well  as  a  Chris- 
tian duty,  and  which  is  continued  by  his  Majes- 
ty's Government  in  Ceylon.  Perhaps  it  is  not 
generally  known  in  England,  that  our  Bengal 
and  Madras  Governments  do  not  patronise  the 
native  Christians.  They  give  official  appoint- 
ments to  Mahomedans  and  Hindoos  generally  iu 


90  Cijrfetmu  iaf^earcl)e5 

preference  to  natives  professing  Christianity. 
The  chief  argument  for  the  retention  of  this 
system  is  precedent.  It  was  the  practice  of  the 
first  settlers.  But  it  has  been  often  observed, 
that  what  might  be  proper  or  necessary  in  a 
factory,  may  not  be  tolerable  in  a  great  Empire. 
It  is  certain  that  this  system  confirms  prejudice, 
exposes  our  religion  to  contempt  in  the  eyes  of 
the  natives,  and  precludes  every  ray  of  ho])e  of 
the  future  prevalence  of  Christianity  at  the  seats 
of  government. 


Jaffna-patam,  in  Ceylon,  Sept.  27,  180C. 

*  From  the  Hindoo  Temple  of  Ramisseram,  1  crossed 
over  to  Ceylon,  keeping  close  to  Adam's  bridge.  I  was 
surprized  to  find  that  all  the  boatmen  were  Christians 
of  Ceylon,  I  asked  the  helmsman  what  religion  the 
English  professed  who  now  governed  the  island.  He 
said  he  could  not  tell,  only  that  they  were  not  of  the 
Portuguese  or  Dutch  religion.  I  was  not  so  much  sur- 
prized at  his  ignorance  afterwards,  as  I  was  at  the  time. 

I  have  had  the  pleasure  to  meet  here  with  Alexander 
Johnstone,  Esq.*  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Judicature, 
who  is  on  the  circuit ;  a  man  of  large  and  liberal  views, 


Now  Sir  Alexander  Johnston*,  Chief  Justice  of  Ceylon. 


the  friend  of  learning,  and  of  Cliristianlty.  He  is  well 
acquainted  with  the  language  of  the  country,  and  with 
the  history  of  the  island ;  and  his  professional  pursuits 
afford  him  a  particular  knowledge  of  its  present  state  ; 
so  that  his  cornnmnications  are  truly  valuahle. — It  will 
ho  scarcely  hclicvcd  in  England,  that  there  are  here 
Protestant  Churches  under  the  King's  government,  which 
are  without  ministers.  In  the  time  of  BAL».7i:us,  the 
Dutch  preacher  and  historian,  there  were  tJiirty-hco 
Christian  Churches  in  the  province  of  Jaffna  alone.  At 
this  time  there  is  not  one  Protestant  European  Minister 
in  the  whole  province.  I  ought  to  except  IN  r.  Palm, 
a  solitary  Missionary,  who  has  heen  sent  out  hy  the 
London  Society,  and  receives  some  stipend  from  the 
British  government.  I  visited  Mr.  Palm,  at  his  residence 
a  few  miles  frojn  the  town  of  Jaffna.  He  is  prosecuting 
the  study  of  the  Tamul  language ;  for  that  is  the  lan- 
guage of  this  part  of  Ceylon,  from  its  proximity  to  tlie 
Tamul  continent.  Mrs.  Palm  has  made  as  great  pro-^ 
gress  in  the  language  as  her  hushand,  and  is  extremely 
active  in  the  instruction  of  the  native  women  and  chil- 
dren. I  asked  her  if  she  had  no  wish  to  return  to  Europe 
after  living  so  long  among  the  uncivilized  Cingalese.  No, 
she  said ;  she  was  '  all  the  day  long  happy  in  the  com- 
munication of  knowledge.'  Mr.  Palm  has  taken  pos- 
session of  the  old  Protestant  Church  of  Tilly-Pally. 
By  reference  to  the  history,  I  found  it  was  the  church  in 
which  Bald£EUS  himself  preached  (as  he  himself  men-r 
tions)  to  a  congregation  of  two  thousand  natives ;  for  a 
view  of  the  Church  is  given  in  his  work.  Most  of  those 
liandsome  Churches,  of  whi:  h  views  are  given  in  the 


9s  Cijvfettan  T^muul)m 

plates  of  Baldaeus's  history,  are  now  in  ruins.  Even  in 
the  town  and  fort  of  Jaffna,  where  there  is  a  spacious 
edifice  for  Divine  Worship^  and  respectable  society  of 
English  and  Dutch  inhabitants,  no  Clergyman  has  been 
yet  appointed.  The  only  Protestant  preacher  in  the 
town  of  Jaffna  is  Chmtian  Daiid^  a  Hindoo  Cateclnst 
sent  over  by  the  mission  of  Tranquebar.  His  chief  mi- 
pistrations  are  in  the  Tamul  tongue  5  but  he  sometimes 
preaches  in  the  English  Language,  which  he  speaks 
with-  tolerable  propriety  :  and  the  Dutch  and  English 
resort  tp  hear  him,  I  went  with  the  rest  to  his  Church; 
when  he  delivered  extempore  a  very  excellent  Discourse^j 
■which  his  present  Majesty  George  the  Third  would  not 
have  disdifined  to  hear.  And  this  Hindoo  supports  the 
inteiests  of  the  English  Church-  in  the  province  of 
Jaffna.  The  Dutch  Ministers  who  formerly  officiated 
here,  have  gone  to  Balavia  or  to  Europe,  The  whole 
district  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  Rornish  priests  from 
the  College  of  Goa ;  who  perceiving  the  indifference  «tf 
the  English  nation  to  their  own  religion,  have  assume^ 
quiet  and  undisturbed  possession  of  the  land.  And  the 
English  Government  justly  preferring  the  Romish  super- 
stition to  the  worship  of  the  idol  Boodha,  thinks  it  right 
to  countenance  the  Catholic  Religion  in  Ceylon.  But 
whenever  our  Church  shall  direct  her  attention  to  the 
promotion  of  Christianity  in  the  East,  I  know  of  no 
place  wliich  is  more  worthy  of  her  labour,  than  the  old 
Protestant  Vineyard  of  Jaffna  Patam.  The  Scriptures 
are  already  prepared  in  the  Tamul  Language.  The 
language  of  the  rest  of  Ceylon  is  the  Cingalese,  op 
Ceylonese.' 


ti^perttnjj  tlje  €^lmm,  95 


*  Columbq,  iu  CeyloUy  lOth  Marchy  180S. 

^  . I  find  that  the  South  part  of  the  island  is  in 

much  tlie  same  state  as  the  north,  in  regard  to  Christian 
instruction.  There  are  but  two  English  Clergymen  in 
the  v.hole  island.  ^  What  wonder'  (said  a  Romish  priest 
to  me)  ^  that  your  nation  should  be  so  little  interested 
about  the  conversion  of  the  Pagans  to  Christianity, 
when  itf  does  not  even  give  teachers  to  its  own  subjects, 
who  are  already  Christians?'  I  was  not  surprised  to 
hear  that  great  numbers  of  the  Protestants  every  year 
go  back  to  idolatry.  Being  destitute  of  a^Head  to  take 
cognizance  of  their  state,  they  apostatise  to  Boodha, 
-as  the  Israelites  turned  to  Baal  and  Jshteroth  It  is 
perhaps  true  that  the  religion  of  Christ  has  never  been 
so  disgraced  in  any  age  of  the  Church,  as  it  has  been 
lately,  by  our  official  neglect  of  the  Protestant  Church 
in  Ceylon. 

^  I  passed  the  day  at  Mount  Lavinia,  the  country  resi- 
dence of  General  Maitland,  the  Governor  of  Ceylon ;  and 
had  some  conversation  with  his  Excellency  on  the  religi- 
ous state  of  the  country.  He  desired  I  would  coi^mit  to 
writing  and  leave  with  him  a  memorandum  of  inq.iiiries 
v/hich  I  wished  should  be  made  on  subjects  relating  to  the 
former  prevalence  of  tHe  Protestant  Religion  in  the 
island,  and  the  means  of  reviving  and  establishing  it  once 
xspre.      His  excellency   expressed  his   conviction  that 


M  €i)mtm  Eeseavrijes 

some  Ecclesiastical  Establishment  ought  to  be  given  te 
Ceylon  ;  as  had  been  given  to  other  Colonies  of  His 
Majesty  in  America  and  the  West  Indies.  He  asked 
what  was  the  cause  of  the  delay  in  giving  an  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Establishment  to  the  Continent  of  India.  I  told  him 
1  supposed  the  chief  cause  was  the  mixed  government  of 
our  Indian  Empire.  It  was  said  to  be  a  question  at  home, 
who  ought  to  originate  it.  Had  there  been  no  revolution 
in  Europe  to  distract  the  attention  of  the  nation,  and  had 
Mr.  Pitt  lived,  many  tilings  of  a  grand  and  arduous 
character  would  have  been  done  which  are  yet  left  un- 
done.—There  are  now  three  missionaries  of  the  London 
Society  established  in  three  different  parts  of  tlie  island. 
It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  find  that  General  Maitland, 
and  the  senior  Chaplain  at  Columbo,  the  Honourable 
Mr.  Twisletonj  had  afforded  their  patronage  in  the  most 
liberal  manner  to  these  useful  teachers.  Government 
has  allowed  to  each  of  them  an  annual  stipend.— In  re- 
turning from  the  country  I  passed  through  the  groves  of 
Cinnamon,  which  extend  nearly  a  mile  in  length.  Cey- 
lon is  believed  by  some  of  the  Easterns,  both  Mahome- 
dans  and  Hindoos,  to  have  been  the  residence  ol'  the  first 
man  (for  the  Hindoos  have  a  First  Man,  and  a  Garden  of 
Eden,  as  well  as  the  Christians)  :  because  it  abounds  in 
*  Trees  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  good  for  food  ;'  and  is 
famous  for  its  rare  metals  and  precious  stones.  '  There 
is  geld,  bdellium,  and  the  onyx-stone.'  The  rocky  ridge 
which  comiccts  this  happy  island  with  the  main  land,  is 
called  Adam's  Bridge ;  the  lofty  mountain  in  the  middle 
of  the  island  every  where  visible,  is  called  Adam's  Peak: 
land  there  is  a   sepulchre  of  immense  length,  which  they 


ca\l  Abel's  Tomb.  All  these  names  were  given  many 
ages  before  the  introduction  of  Christianity  from  Europe  : 
-—The  Cinnamon  trees  love  a  sandy  soil.  The  surface 
of  the  ground  appeared  to  be  entirely  sand.  I  thought 
it  wonderful  that  the  most  valuable  of  all  trees  should 
grow  in  luxuriance  in  such  an  arid  soil  without  human 
tulture.  I  compared  them  in  my  mind  to  the  Ceylon 
Christians  in  their  present  state,  who  are  left  to  flourish 
by  themselves  under  the  blessing  of  heaven,  without 
tliuse  external  and  rational  aids  which  have  been  divinely 
appointed  to  nourish  the  Church  of  Christ.' 


^  Columbo,  \ltfi  March,  1808. 

*  I  have  conversed  with  intelligent  persons  on  the 
:neans  of  translating  tliq  Scriptures  into  the  Cingalese 
J^anguage.  The  whole  of  the  New  Testament  has  been 
translated,  but  only  three  books  of  the  Old  Testament. 
But  even  this  portion  has  been  translated  almost  in  vain  ; 
for  there  is  no  supply  of  books  for  the  use  of  the  people. 
i  reflected  with  astonishment  on  the  fact,  that  there  arc 
by  computation  500,000  natives  iu  Ceylon  professing 
Christianity,  and  that  there  should  not  be  one  complete 
copy  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  the  vernacular  tongue, 
Samuel  Tolfr\-,  Esq,  head  of  a  civil  department  in  Coliim- 
bo,  is  a  good  Cingalese  scholar,  and  is  now  engaged  la 
compiling  a  Cingalese  dictionary.  I  proposed  to  him  to 
undertake  the  completion  of  the  Cingalese  Version ;  whic^ 
is  easily  practicable,  as  there  are  many  learned  Cingalese 


96  Cijtfettan  Kesearcfjes 

Christians  in  Columbo.  He  professed  himself  ready  to 
engage  in  the  work^  provided  he  should  receive  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  government.  I  mentioned  to  him  what  had 
passed  in  rriy  conversation  with  General  Maitland^  and 
his  Excellency's  favourable  sentiments  on  the  subject; 
and  added  that  a  correspondence  would  be  immediately 
commenced  with  him  from  Calcutta^  concerning  the 
Worlc,  and  funds  apportioned  for  the  execution  of  it.^^ 
Alexander  Johnstone,  Esq.  who  is  now  in  Columbo,  has 
furnished  me  with  his  sentiments  on  the  best  means  of 
reviving  and  maintaining  the  Protestant  interest  in  Cey- 
lon. Did  his  professional  avocations  permit,  Mr. 
Johnstone  is  himself  the  fit  person  to  superintend  the 
translation  and  printing  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  a  proof 
of  the  interest  which  this  gentleman  takes  in  the  progress 
of  Christian  knowledge,  that  he  has  caused  Bishop  Por- 
teus*s  Evidences  of  Christianity  to  be  translated  into  the 
Cingalese  tongue,  for  distribution  among  the  natives/,  : 


THE  Malays. 

A  NEW  -empire  has  been  added  to  Great 
Britain  in  the  East,  which  may  bjC  called  her 
Malay  Empire.  The  extensive  dominion  of  the 
Dutch  in  t\\^  Iqdian  Ocean,  .is  de>'olving  upon 
the  English  ;  and  it  may  be  expected  that  Bri- 
tain will  soon  be  mistress  of  the  whole  of  the 
Malayan  ARcmPELAGO.     But^swef  increase 


dur  territories, -we  increase  our  obligations.    Our 
duties   to  our   Hindoo   Empire  have  been   long 
enough   the  subject  of  discussion  :  let  us  now 
tfurn  our  attention  to  the  obliarations  which   we 
6 we  to  our  Malay  Empire.     We  are  now  about 
to  take  possession  of  islands,  peopled  by  numbers 
of  Protestant  Christians.     For  in  every  island 
where  tlie  Dutch  established  their  government, 
they    endeavoured    to    convert    the  natives  to 
Christianity,  and  they  were  successful.     Those 
amongst    us    who  would  recommend  that    the 
evangelization  of  barbarous  nations  should  be 
deferred j   "  till  a  more  convenient  season,"  will 
have   no   opportunity  of  offering  the  advice  in 
regard  to  some  of  the  islands  :  for,  behold,  the 
natives    are    Christians  already.     They  profess 
the  religion  of  the  Bible.     Let  it  be  Our  endea- 
vour, then,  to  do  more  justice  to  these  our  new 
^Protestant  subjects   than  we   have  done  to  the 
Christians  of  Ceylon.     We  have  less  excuse  in 
the   present  instance,  for   the  Malay  Scriptures 
are  already  translated  to  our  hands.     What   a 
noble  field  here  opens  to  th^view  of  the  "  Society 
*'  for   promoting  Christian  Knowledge/'  and  of 
the  Bible  Society  !.    Here  there  is  ample  room 
fop  a  praise- worthy  emulation,  and  for  the  ut- 
most exercise  of  their  benevolent  exertions.  0ns 


IT 


95  €t)rt£;tian  Ke^earcfjej^ 

hundred  thousand  Malay  Bibles  will  not  suffice 
to  supply  the  Malay  Christians. 

The  Sacred  Scriptures  were  translated  by  the 
Dutch  into  the  Eastern  Malay  ;*  for  that  t* 
the  general  language  of  their  extensive  domi- 
nions in  the  Indian  Sea.  But  the  Eastern  Malay 
is  different  from  the  Western  Malay,  or  that  of 
Sumatra.  In  the  College  of  Fort-William, 
Thomas  Jarrett,  Esq.  of  the  Honourable  Com- 
pany's Civil  Service,  was  preparing  a  version  of 
the  Scriptures  in  the  Western  Mala}- ;  for  which 
undertaking  he  was  well  qualified,  having  resid- 
ed twelve  years  in  Sumatra.  When  the  progress 
of  the  Biblical  translations  was  interrupted  in 
the  College,  Mr.  Jarrett  prosecuted  the  work, 
after  his  return  to  Madras.  He  has  had,  as  an 
assistant  in  tlie  design,  a  learned  Malay  of  the 
rank  of  Rajah  in  liis  own  country,  who  came 
from  Sumatra  for  the  purpose.  Mr.  Jarrett  has 
also  made  considerable  progress  in  compiling  a 
copious  Malay  Dictionary,  which  he  commenc- 
ed before  he  left  the  island.  His  labour,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  will  not  be  lost  to  the  public  ;  for 


*  A  complete  version  of  the  Malay  Bible  was  published  in 
(he  Arabic  character  at  Batavia,  5  vols.  8vo.  in  1758,  undei 
l4ie  direction  of  Jacob  Mosscl,  Governor- General  of  tiie  Diitci 
possessions  in  the  East  Indies. 


Ihe  Malay  language  is  daily  increasing  in  its 
importance  to  the  British  nation. 

Prince  of  Wales's  Island,  or,  as  it  is  called  by 
the  natives,  Penang,  or  Pulo  Penang,  that  is, 
the  Island  Penang,  is  the  capital  of  our  Malay 
territories,  and  is  the  proper  place  for  the  culti- 
vation of  the  Malay  language,  being  situated  close 
to  thel  main  land  of  Malacca.  As  there  is  a  Col- 
leo^e  in  Benjjalfor  instructiho:  the  English  in  the 

or?  o  o 

languages  of  the  continent  of  Hindostan,  it  is 
equally  expedient  that  there  should  be  an  Insti- 
tution in  Penang  for  the  cultivation  of  the  Malay 
tongue,  and  of  the  various  dialects  of  our  insular 
possessions.  The  Dutch  attended  to  this  object 
in  the  very  infancy  of  their  empire.  Besides, 
it  is  probable  that  Penang  will,  in  tlie  progress 
of  Eastern  civihzation,  become  the  great  empo- 
rium of  Asiatic  Commerce.  Its  sudden  eleva- 
tion, is  a  prognostic  of  its  future  celebrity.  It 
is  situated  on  wliat  may  be  called,  ''  the  hi^l - 
way,"  in  which  ships  sail  from  either  hemi^iphcTe; 
and  is  the  very  centre  of  British  navigation  in 
tlie  East.  The  author  resided  on  this  island  for 
about  a  month,  and  was  greatly  surprised  at 
the  variety  of  langiiages  which  are  spoken,  and 
iit  the  different  races  of  men  who  present 
tbemsdves  to  view  in  this  infant  -settlement. 
The  mcrchan'.s  ;  rj  chiefly  of  the    Malay,  and 


100  Cljnstian  JRegeardj^s 

Indo-Chinese  nations.  Jolm  Shaw,  Esq.  was 
prosecuting  the  study  of  the  Eastern  Malay 
Language,  when  the  Author  visited  the  island, 
and  has  since  published  a  considerable  portion  of 
a  Malay  Grammar. 

The  author  who  chiefly  claims  our  notice  in 
regard  to  the  Malay  regions,  is  J.  C.  Leyden, 
M.  D.  Professor  of  Hindostanee  in  the  College 
of  Fort-William.  To  him  the  learned  world  is 
indebted  for  ^'  a,  Dissertation  on  the  Languages 
'^  and  Literature  of  the  Indo-Chinese  nations/' 
just  published  in  the  Asiatic  Researches,  in  which 
he  illuminates  a  very  dark  subject,  and  opens 
a  new  view  to  Great  Britain  of  her  insular  pos- 
sessions in  Asia.  Dr.  Leyden  takes  the  lead 
in  this  most  useful  science,  in  the  East,  being 
possessed  of  very  rare  talents  for  general  Philo- 
logy, wJiich  he  has  applied  almost  suddenly,  and 
with  admirable  effect,  to  the  Oriental  Languages, 
If  this  erudite  scholar  should  prosecute  his  re- 
searches for  some  years  to  come,  with  equal  assi- 
duity and  success,  he  will  promote,  in  the^tost 
effectual  manner,  the  general  civilization  of  the 
East,  by  opening  the  way  for  the  future  exer- 
tions of  Christian  teachers,  and  preparing  them 
for  the  study  of  languages,  the  names  of  which 
are  not  yet  known  in  Europe. 

Penang;  and  the  neighbouring  settlement  of 


respecting  t!)e  iHalaps.  loi 

Malacqa,  are  most  favourable  stations  for  the 
study  of  the  various  dialects  of  the  Malay  and 
Chinese  Languages  :  and  for  pouring  forth  from 
the  press  useful  works  for  the  civilization  of 
maritime  and  Austral  Asia.  Every  week,  boats 
of  different  nations  are  ready  to  carry  off  every 
thing  that  is  printed  to  their  respective  regions. 
The  Author  found  here  a  general  spirit  of  in- 
quiry, a  communicative  disposition,  and  an  un- 
usual thirst  for  knowledge  ;  for  the  civilities  of 
commerce  have  a  tendency  to  weaken  prejudice 
and  superstition  among  barbarous  tribes. 

Although  the  Dutch  introduced  Christianity 
on  eve^y  island  where  they  established  a  Govern- 
ment, yet  the  greater  part  of  the  Malay  islands 
are  involved  in  darkness.  The  natives  are  of 
three  general  casts.  Pagans,  Mahomedans^  and 
Chinese.  The  Mahomedans  chiefly  inhabit  the 
shores,  and  the  Pagans  the  interior  parts  of  the 
islands.  The  barbarism  of  the  interior  nations 
in  Sumatra,  Borneo  and  other  islands,  almost 
exceeds  belief  Marsden,  in  his  history  of 
Sumatra,  had  informed  us  that  it  was  usual  with 
the  natives  of  the  interior,  called  the  Batja 
tribes,  to  kill  and  eat  their  criminals,  and  pri- 
soners of  war;  but  the  researches  of  Dr,  Leyden 
have  led  to  the  discovery,  that  they  sometimes 
sacrifice  their  own  relations.     *^  They  themselves 


103  Cf)rfettan  Eesearcljes 

*'  declare,"  (sci}^s  he,)  ^*  that  they  frequently  eat 
**  their  own  relations  when  aged  and  infirm:  an4 
''  that  not  so  much  to  gratify  their  appetite,  as 
to  perform  a  pious  ceremony.  Thus,  when  a 
"  man  becomes  infirm  and  weary  of  the  ^vorld, 
**  he  is  said  to  invite  his  own  children  to  eathini 
**  in  the  season  when  salt  and  limes  are  cheapest. 
-  He  then  ascends  a  tree,  round  which  his  friends 
"  and  offspring  assemble,  and  as  they  shake  the 
*^  tree,  join  in  a  funeral  dirge,  the  import  of 
*'  which  is,  *  The  season  is  come,  the  fruit  is  ripe, 
*'  and  it  must  descend.  The  victim  descends, 
*^  and  those  that  are  nearest  and  dearest  to  him 
^*  deprive  him  of  life,  and  devour  his  remains  in 
*^  a  solemn  banquet."* 

These  cannibals  inhabit  the  interior  of  the 
island  of  Sumatra,  on  the  shore  of  which  is  the 
English  settlement,  Bencoolen,  or  Fort- Marlbo- 
rough. We  have  been  settled  there  for  a  long 
period,  and  trade  with  the  inhabitants  for  thetr 
spices,  in  return  for  the  pepper  which  the  na- 
tives give  us,  it  would  well  become  our  character 
as  a  Christian  nation,  were  we  now,  at  length 
to  offer  them  the  New  Testaynent. 

Another  description  of  barbarians  in  the 
Eastern  Isles,   are  the  Haraforas,  called  by  the 

*  4siatk  Researches,  Vol.  X.  p.  208. 


tespettmoE  ti)e  i^alaps.  1 03 

Dutch,  the  Alfoers,  They  are  to  be  found  in 
almost  all  the  larger  islands.  '*  In  their  man- 
"  ners,"  says  Dr.  Leyden,  "  the  most  singular 
^*  feature  is  the  necessity  imposed  on  every  per- 
"  son  of,  sometime  in  his  life,  imbruing 
"  his  hands  in  human  blood  :  and  in  general, 
"  among  all  their  tribes,  no  person  is  per- 
"  mitted  to  marry,  'till  he  can  shew  the 
"skull  of  a  man  whom  he  has  slaughtered. 
"  They  eat  the  flesh  of  their  enemies  like  the 
*^  Baftas,  and  drink  out  of  their  skulls;  and  the 
*'  ornaments  of  their  houses  are  human  skulls 
"  and  teeth."*  When  the  author  was  at  Pul9r 
Penang,  he  saw  a  Chief  of  the  IVIalay  tribe 
who  had  a  staff,  on  the  head  of  which  was  a 
bushy  lock  of  human  hair,  which  he  said  he  had 
cut  from  the  head  of  his  enemy,  when  he 'lay 
dead  at  his  feet. 

The  foregoing  circumstances  have  been  de- 
tailed to  shew  lA^hat  Paganism  is  in  its  natural 
state,  and  to  awaken  some  desire  of  civilizing 
a  people,  who  are  now  so  accessible  to  us.  Cer- 
tain Philosophers  of  the  school  of  Voltaire  and 
Gibbon,  have  been  extravagant  in  their  eulo- 
gium  of  man  in  a  state  of  nature,  or  in  some 
other  state  devoid   of  Christianity;    and  it  is 

*  Ibid,  p.  217. 


104  Ct)rt5ttan  aesearctjesf 

to  be  lamented  that  some  Christian  writers  have 
tried  to  draw  the  same  picture.  But  Paganism, 
in  its  best  estate,  is  well  described  by  one  line 
of  the  Poet : 

Monstrum,  horrendum,  informe,  ingens  cui  LUMEN" 
ademptum. — — Virg. 

No  quarter  of  the  globe  promises  to  be  more 
auspicious  to  Christian  Missions  than  the  Ma^ 
layan  Archipelago.  In  regard  to  the  probable 
success  of  our  endeavours,  the  Dutch  have  aU 
ready  shewn  what  is  practicable.  The  natives 
are  of  different  casts,  and  are  a  divided  people, 
The  communication  is  easy  from, island  to  island ; 
our  own  ships  are  continually  plying  on  their 
shores.  The  China  fleet  pass  through  twice,  or 
oftener,  every  year ;  and  with  most  of  the  is- 
lands  we  have  intercourse  by  what  is  called  in 
India  the  country  trade.  And  now  there  M^ill 
be,  of  course,  an  English  government  established 
in  each  of  the  conquered  islands  in  lieu  of  the^ 
Dutch, 

The  Mahomedans  found  it  easy  to  translate 
the  Koran  into  the  languages  of  Java,  and  of 
thQ  Celebes;  but  the  Sacred  Scriptures  are  not 
yet  translated  into  either  of  these  languages. 
The  proper  language  of  Java  is  different  from 
the  Malay  of  the  city  of    Batavia.     The  lan~ 


guage  of  the  Celebes  is  callH  the  Bugis,  or 
Bougese.*  The  natives  of  Celebes  are  distin- 
guished for  their  vigour  of  niiiid,  and  strength 
of  body ;  and  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  first 
of  the  Orang  Timo7\  or  Eastern  men.  Litera- 
ture was  formerly  cultivated  am.ong  them.  Dr. 
Leydei)  enumerates  fifty-three  different  volumes. 
"  Their  songs,"  says  he,  "  and  romances,  are 
"  famous  among  all  the  islands  of  the  East/' 
Their  language  extends  to  otlier  islands,  for 
they  formerly  carried  their  conquests  beyond 
the  Moluccas,  The  man  who  shall  first  tran3- 
late  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  Celebes, 
will  probably  be  read  by  as  many  islanders  as 
have  read  the  translation  of  Wickliffe.  Let  us 
consider  how  long  these  nations  have  waited 
for  Christian  instruction,  and  contemplate  the 
words  of  the  prophecy,  "  The  isles  sliall  wait 
*'  for  HIS  Law."— Is.  xliii.  4. 

-The  facilities  for  civilizing  the  Malayan  isles 
are  x:ertainly  very  great;  and  tUes)^  facilities 
are  our  strongest  encouragement  to  make  the 
attempt.    Both  in  our  translation  of  the  Scrip- 


*  Lord  Minto  notices  in  his  Speech  to  the  College  of  Fort 
William,  that  Thos.  Raffles,  Esq.  Secretary  to  the  Government 
in  Prince  of  Wales's  Island/i?  einployed  in  compiling  a  code  of 
Malay  laws^  in  the  JVJalay  and  Bou^ise  Languages. 


106  CljrfetianJaesieaitljes 

tures  and  in  missions  to  the  heathen,  we  should 
avoid  as  much  as  possible  what  may  be  called 
enterprise.  Let  us  follow  the  path  that  is  easy 
and  secure,  and  make  use  of  those  means  which 
are  already  afforded  to  us  by  Providence.  Thus 
the  most  valuable  and  important  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  will  be  that  for  which  a  people 
are  already  prepared,  such  as  the  Malayalim, 
the  Cingalese,  and  Malay.  And  the  most 
judiciously  planned  Missions  will  be  those 
where  there  is  a  prospect  of  personal  security 
to  the  teachers ;  and  (judging  from  human  pro- 
bability) the  greatest  facilities  for  the  conversion 
of  the  people. 


THB 

SYRIAN   CHRISTIANS   IN   INDIA. 

The  Syrian  Christians  inhabit  the  interior  of 
Travancore  and  Malabar,  in  the  South  of  India, 
^and  have  been  settled  there  from  the  early  ages 
of  Christianity*  The  first  notices  of  this  an- 
cient people,  in  recent  times,  are  to  be  founjJ  in 
the  Portuguese  histories.  When  Vasco  de  Gama 
arrived  at  Cochin,  on  the  coast  of  Malabar,  in 
the  year  1503,  he  saw  the  sceptre  of  the  Chris- 


respecting  tlje  ^prfaus.  lor 

km  King;  for  the  Syrian  Christians  had  for- 
jinerly  regal  power  in  Malay- Ala.*  The  name 
,or  title  of  their  last  King  was  Bcliarte;  and  he 
dying  without  issue,  the  dominion  devolved  on 
the  King  of  Cochin  and  Diamper. 

When  the  Portuguese  arrived,  they  were 
agreeahly  surprised  to  find  upwards  of  a  hun- 
idrcd  Christian  Churches  on  the  coast  of  Mala- 
bar. But  when  they  became  acquainted  with 
the  purity  and  simplicity  of  their  worship,  they 
were  offended.  "  These  Churches,"  eaid  the 
Portuguese,  '^  belong  to  the  Pope." — "  Who  is 
the  Pope?"  said  the  natives,  "  we  never  heard 
of  him."  The  European  priests  were  yet  more 
alarmed,  when  they  found  that  these  Hindoo 
Cliristians  maintained  the  order  and  discipline 
of  a  regular  Church  under  Epispocal  Jurisdic- 
tion:  and  that,  for  1300  years  past,  they  had 
enjoyed  a  successi'.  n  of  Bishops  appointed  by 
the  Patriarch  of  Antioch.  "  We,"  said  the}', 
*'  are  of  the  true  faith,  whatever  you  from  the 


*  Malay-Ala  is  the  proper  name  for  the  whole  country  of 
Travancore  and  Malabar,  comprehending  the  territory  between 
the  mountains  and  the  sea,  from  Cape  Coraorin  to  Cape  Illi 
or  Dilly.  The  language  of  these  extensive  regions  is  called 
Malay-alim,  and  sometimes  Malabar.  We  shtill  use  the  word 
^l^dabar  as  being  of  easier  pronunciation. 


103  Cljvfeliau  Ee£ieatTl)es  . 

**  West  may  be ;  for  we  come  from  the  place 
*'  where  the  followers  of  Christ  were  first  called 
"Christians." 

When  the  power  of  the  Portuguese  became 
sufficient  for  their  purpose,  they  invaded  these 
tranquil  Churches,  seized  some  of  the  Clergy,  and 
devoted  them  to  the  death  of  heretics.  Then 
the  inhabitants  heard  for  the  first  time  that 
there  was  a  place  called  the  Inquisition  ;  and  that 
its  fires  had  been  lately  lighted  at  Goa,  near  their 
own  land.  But  the  Portuguese,  finding  that  the 
people  were  resolute  in  defending  their  ancient 
faith,  began  to  try  more  conciliatory  measures. 
They  seized  tlie  Syrian  Bishop,  Mar  Joseph,  and 
,§ent  him  prisoi^er  to  Lisbon,  and  then  convened 
a  Synod  at  one  of  the  Syrian  Churches  called 
Diamper,  near  Cochin,  at  vi^hich  the  Romish 
.Archbishop  Meriezes  presided.  At  this  compul- 
sory Sinod,  150  of  the  Syrian  Clergy  appeared. 
They  were  accused  of  the  following  practices 
and  opinions,  "That  they  had  married  wives;  that 
"  they  owned  but  two  Sacraments,  Baptism  and 
"  the  Lord's  Supper;  that  tltey  neither  invoked 
"  Saintf:,  nor  worshipped  Images,  nor  believed 
**  in  Purgatory :  and  that  they  had  no  other 
"  orders  or  names  of  dignity  in  the  Church, 
"  than  Bishop,  Priest,  and  Deacon."  These 
tenets  they  were  called  on  to  abjure,  or  tosuffei:. 


suspension  from  all  Church  benefices.  It  was 
also  decreed  that  all  the  Syrian  books  on  Eccle- 
siastical subjects  that  could  be  found,  should  be 
burned  ;  **  in  order,"  said  the  Inquisitors,  *^  that 
no  pretended  apostolical  monuments  may  re- 
main." 

The  Churches  on  the  sea-coast  were  thus 
compelled  to  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of 
the  Pope  :  but  tliey  refused  to  pray  in  Latin,  and 
insisted  on  retaining  their  own  language  and 
Liturgy.  This  point  they  said  they  would  only 
give  up  with  their  lives.  The  Pope  compro- 
mised with  them:  Menezes  purged  their  Litur- 
gy of  its  errors  :  and  they  retain  their  Syriac 
Language,  and  have  a  Syriac  College  unto  this 
day.  These  are  called  the  Syro- Roman  Churches, 
and  are  principally  situated  on  the  sea-coast. 

The  Churches  in  the  interior  would  not  yield 
to  Rome.  After  a  show  of  submission  for  a  little 
while,  they  proclaimed  eternal  war  against  the 
Inquisition;  they  hid  their  books,  fled  to  the 
mountains,  and  sought  the  protection  of  the 
Native  Princes,  who  had  always  been  proud  of 
their  alliance. 

Two  centuries  had  elapsed  without  any  par- 
ticular information  concerning  the  Syrian  Chris- 
tians in  Malav-Ala.  It  was  doubted  bv  manv 
whether   thev   existed   at  all:  but   if  thev  did 


110  C^rfettaix  iSesearcije^ 

exist,  it  was  thought  probable  that  they  ihiiii 
possess  some  interesting  documents  of  Christiaii 
antiquity.  The  Author  conceived  the  design 
of  visiting  them,  if  practicable,  in  his  tour 
through  Hindostan.  He  presented  a  short 
memoir  on  the  subject,  in  1805,  to  Marquis 
Wellesley,  then  Governor-general  of  India; 
who  was  pleased  to  give  orders  that  every  faci- 
lity should  be  afforded  to  him  in  the  prosecution 
of  his  inquiries.  About  a  year  after  that  Noble- 
man had  left  India,  the  Author  proceeded  on 
his  Tour.  It  was  necessary  that  he  should  visit 
first  the  Court  of  the  Rujaii  of  Travancore,  iii 
whose  dominions  the  Syrian  Christians  resided, 
that  he  might  obtain  permission  to  pass  to  their 
country.  The  two  chief  objects  which  he 
proposed  to  himself  in  exploring  the  state  of 
this  ancient  people,  were  these:  Fii'sf,  to  inves- 
tigate their  literature  and  history,  and  to  collect 
Biblical  manuscripts.  Secondly,  if  he  should 
find  them  to  be  an  intelligent  people,  and  well 
acquainted  with  the  Syriac  Scriptures,  to  endea- 
'\'our  to  make  them  instruments  of  ilhiminating 
the  Southern  ])art  of  India,  by  engaging  them 
in  translating  their  Scriptures  iiito  the  Native 
Languages.  He  iiad  reason  to  believe  that  this 
had  not  yet  been  done;  and  he  was  prepared 
uot  to  wonder  at  the  delay,    when  he    rejected 


mperting  t!)e  g^prtaas,  in 

how  long  it  was  before  his  own  countrymen 
began  to  think  it  their  duty  to  make  versions  of 
the  Scriptures,  for  the  use  of  other  nations. 


*  Palace  of  Tramncore,  I9th0ct,  180G. 

^1  have  now  been  a  week  at  the  Palace  of  Trlvan- 

durum,  where  the  Rajah  resides.    A  letter  of  introduction 

from   Lieut.-Colonel  Macaulay,  the  British  Resident  at 

Travancore,  procured  me  a  proper   reception.     At    my 

first  audience  His  Highness  was  very  inquisitive   as  to 

the  objects  of  my  journey.     As  I  had  servants  with   me 

of  ditFen^nt  casts  and   languages,  it  was  very  easy  for 

the   Brahmins  to  discover  every  particular  they  might 

wish  to  know,  in  regard  to  my  profession,  pursuits,  and 

manner  of  life.      When  I  told  the  Rajah  that  the  Syrian 

Christians  were  supposed  to  be  of  the  same  religion  with 

the   English,  he  said  he  thought  that  could  not  be  the 

case,  else  he  must  have  heard  it  before ;    if,  however,  it 

was  so,  he  considered  my  desire  to  visit  them  as  being 

very   reasonable.      I   assured  His  Highness   that   their 

Shasicr   and   ours   was   the  same ;    and   shewed  him  a 

Syriac  New  Testament  which  I  had  at  hand.      The  book 

being  bound  and  gilt   after  the    European  manner,  the 

Rajah  shook   his   bead,  and  said  he  was  sure  there  was 

not  a  native  in  his  dominions  who  could  read  that  book. 

I  observed  that   this  would   be  proved  in   a  few   days. 

The  Dewan  (ot  Prime   Minister)   thought  the  character 

something   like   what   he   had    seen   sometimes   in   the 


it2  C^tsttan  iaesearrijes 

houses  of  the  SoonanL  The  Rajah  said  he  would  afford 
me  every  facility  for  my  journey  in  his  power.  He  put 
an  emerald  ring  on  my  finger^  as  a  mark  of  his  friend-^ 
ship,  and  to  secure  me  respect  in  passing  through  his 
country  ;  and  he  directed  his  Dcwan  to  send  proper  per- 
sons with  me  as  guides. 

^  I  requested  that  the  Rajah  would  he  pleased  to  pre- 
sent a  Catalogue  of  all  the  Hindoo  Manuscripts  in  the 
Temples  of  Travancore  to  the  College  of  Fort-William 
in  Bengak  The  Brahmins  were  very  averse  to  this ;  but 
when  I  shewed  the  Rajah  the  Catalogues  of  the  books 
in  the  Temples  of  Tanjore,  given  by  the  Rajah  of  Tan- 
jore,  and  of  those  of  the  Temple  of  Ramlsseram,  given 
me  by  order  of  the  Rannie  (or  Queen)  of  Ramnad^ 
he  desired  it  might  be  done  :  and  orders  have  been  sent 
to  the  Hindoo  College  of  Trichoor  for  that  purpose.'- 


'  Chinganoor  ;  a  Church  of  the  Syrian  Chmtiam. 
Nor,  IC-th,  180G. 

'  From  the  palace  of  Travancore  I  proceeded  tn 
Mavely-car,  a,nd  thence  to  the  hills  at  the  bottom  of  the 
high  Ghauts  which  divide  the  Carnatic  from  Malay-Ala. 
The  face  of  the  country  in  general,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 


*  These  three  Catalogues,  together  with  that  of  the  Rajah 
pf  Cochin,  which  the  Author  procured  afterwards,  are  now 
deposited  in  the  College  of  Fort-William,  and  probably  contaiu 
all  the  Hindoo  literature  ©f  the  South  of  Inclia, 


respecting  t\)t  B^^vim^,  1 1 3 

.iiountains,  exhibits  a  varied  scene  of  iiill  and  dule^  and 
ninding  streams.  These  streams  fall  from  the  moun- 
tains and  preserve  the  vallies  in  perpetual  verdure.  The 
woods  produce  pepper,  cardamoms,  and  cassia,  or  common 
cinnamon  ;  also  frankincense  and  Other  aromatic  gums. 
What  adds  much  to  tlie  grandeur  of  the-  scenery  in 
this  country  is,  that  the  adjacent  mountains  of  Travan- 
core  are  not  banen,  but  are  covered  with  forests  of  teak 
wood  (the  Indian  oak,)  producing,  it  it  said,  the  largest 
timber  in  the  world. 

^  The  first  view  of  tljc  Christian  Churches  in  this 
sequestered  region  of  Hindostan,  connected  with  the  idea 
of  their  tranquil  duration,  for  so  many  ages,  cannot"' 
fail  to  excite  pleasing  emotions  in  the  mind  of  the 
beholder.  The  form  of  the  oldest  buildings  is  not  unlike 
that  of  some  of  the  old  Parish  Churches  in  England  ; 
the  style  of  building  in  both  being  of  Saracenic  origin. 
They  have  sloping  roofs,  pointed  arch  windows,  and 
buttresses  supporting  the  walls.  The  beams  of  the  roof 
being  exposed  to  view  are  ornamented  ;  and  the  ceiling 
of  the  choir  and  altar  is  circular  and  fretted.  In  the 
Cathedral  Churches,  the  shrines  of  the  deceased  bisiiops 
are  placed  on  each  side  of  the  altar.  Most  of  the 
Churches   are  built  of    a   reddish  stone,*  squared  and 


*  This  stone  possesses  a  singular  property.  At  the  quarry 
it  is  so  soft  that  it  may  be  pared  with  a  knife,  and  modelled  in 
any  fashion  with  ease  3  but  when  exposed  to  the  air,  it  indurates 
like  adamant.  Dr.  Francis  Bucharian,  of  Bengal,  wished  me  to 
bring  home  ^  specimen  of  this  stone,  which  he  had  not  seen  in 
any  of  rhe  collections  in  Britain. 

I 


114  Cljrfotuin  JRe^eatcljes 

polished  at  the  quarry  ;  and  are  of  durable  construction* 
The  bells  of  the  Churches  are  cast  in  the  founderics  of 
the  country:  some  of  them  are  of  large  dimensions, 
and  have  inscriptions  In  Syriac  and  Mai:  y-alim.  In 
5tppro.?.ching  a  town  in  the  evening,  1  once  heard  the 
sound  of  the  bells  among  the  hills  ;  a  circumstance  which 
made  me  forget  for  a  moment  that  I  was  in  Hindostan, 
and  reminded  me  of  another  country. 

*  The  first  Syrian  Church  which  I  saw  was  at  Mavely- 
car :  but  the  Syrians  here  are  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Romish  Christians  5  and  are  not  so  simple  in  their  man- 
ners ns  those  nearer  the  mountains.  They  had  been 
often  visited  by  Romish  emissaries  in  former  times  : 
and  they  at  first  suspected  that  I  belonged  to  that  com- 
munion. They  had  heard  of  the  English,  but  strangely 
supposed  that  they  belonged  to  the  Church  of  the  Pope 
in  the  ^Vest.  Tliey  had  been  so  little  accustomed  to 
^ee  a  friend,  that  they  could  not  believe  that  I  was  come 
with  any  friendly  purpose.  Added  to  this,  I  had  some 
<iiseussions  with  a  most  Intelligent  priest,  in  regard  to 
the  original  language  of  the  Four  Gospels,  which  he 
maintained  to  be  Syrlac  ;  and  they  suspected  from  the 
eo!japle:iion  of  my  argument,  that  I  wished  to  weaken 
the  evidences  for  their  antiquity.*     Soon,    however,  tlje 


*  *'  Yoa  concede,"  said  tie  Syrian ,  "  that  our  Saviour  spoke 
ii!  our  K'ni'^nage  ;  how  do  yoa  know  it  ?"'  From  Syriac  expres* 
s'ons  in  the  Greek  GospeK\  It  appears  that  he  spoke  Syriac 
when  he  walked  by  the  way  (Ephpharha),  and  when  he  sat  ia 
the  house  (Talitha  Cumi),  and  aa  hen  he  was  upon  the  cros!* 
{VjJ.,  Kli,  lam,!  sabachthani).     Ihe  Sjrinns  were  pleased  whe* 


gloom  and  suspicion  subsided  ;  they  gave  me  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  in  the  primitive  manner ;  and  one  of 


they  heard  tliat  we  had  got  their  language  in  our  English  books. 
The  priest  observed  that  these  last  were  not  the  exact  words, 
but   *  Ail,   Ail,  lamono  sabachthani.'       I  answered  that  the 
word  mast  have  been  very  like  Eli^  for  one  said  '  He  calleth 
Ellas.'  *'  True,"  said  he,  '/  but  yet  it  was  more  likely  to  be  j^il 
All   (pronounced   11   or   Eel)    for   Hil  or  Hila  is  Syriac   for 
Vinegar  ;   and  one    thought   he   wanted   Vinegar,   and   filled 
immediately  a  sponge  with   it.     But  uur  Saviour  did  not  want 
the  medicated  drink  as  they  supposed."--''  ^ut,"  added  he,  **  if 
the  parables  and  discourses  of  our  Lord  were  in  Syriac,  and  the 
people  of  Jerusalem  commonly  used   it,  is   it   not  marvellous 
that  his  Disciples  did  not  record  his  parables  in  the  Syriac  Lan- 
guage ',  and  that  they  should  have  recourse  to  the  Greek  ?"     I 
observed  that  the  Gospel  was  for  the  world,  and  the  Greek  was 
tlien  the  universal  language,  and  therefore  Providence  selected 
it.     **  It  is  very   probable,"  said  he,  "  that  the  Gospels   were 
translated  immediately  afterwards  into  Greek,   as  inio  other 
languages  ;  but  surely  there  must    have  been  a  Syriac  original. 
The  poor  people  in  Jerusalem  could  not  read  Greek.     Had  they 
no  record  in  their  hands,  of  Christ's  parables  which  they  had 
heard,  and  of  his  sublime  discoursei  recorded  by  St.  John,  after 
his  ascension  ?"     I  acknowledged  tha.c  it  was  believed  by  some 
of  the  learned  that  the  Gospel  of  St,  Matthew  was  written 
originally  in  Syriac.     '' So  you  admit  St.  Matthew  ?     You  may 
*'  as  well  admit   St.  John.     Or  was  one  gospel  enough  for  the 
♦'  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  ?*'   1    contended   that    there   were 
many  Greek  and  Roman  words  in   their  own  Syriac  Gospels, 
*'  True,"  said  he,   *'  Roman  words  for  Roman  things."     Thej' 
wished  however  to  see  some  of  these  words.     The  discussion 
afterwards,  particularly  in  reference  to  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke, 
was  more  in  my  favour. 

I    ^ 


116  C|)ristian  Jaesearclje^ 

tfiek  numbrer  was   deputed    to   accrompany   nie   t6  the 
Churches  in  the  interior. 

^  When  we  were  approaching  the  Church  of  Chin- 
ganoor,  we  met  one  of  the  Cassanars,  or  Syrian  Clergy. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  wl^ite  loose  vestment  with  a  cap  of 
red  siik  hanging  down  behind.  Being  informed  who  he 
was,  I  said  to  him  in  the  Syriac  Language,  ^  Peace  be 
unto  you.'  He  was  surprized  at  the  salutation,  but 
immediately  answered,  ^The  God  of  peace  be  with  you.' 
He  accosted  the  Rajah's  servants  in  the  language  of  tlie 
country  to  1< now  who  I  was  ;  and  immediately  returned 
to  the  village  to  announce  our  approach.  When  we 
arrived,  I  was  received  at  the  door  of  tlie  Church  by  three 
Kaslieeshas  that  is,  Presbyters,  or  Priests,  who  were 
habited  in  like  manner,  in  white  vestments.  Their  names 
were  Jesu,  Zecharias,  and  Urias,  which  they  wrote  down 
in  my  Journal,  each  of  them  adding  to  his  name  the 
title  of  Kasheesha,  There  were  also  present  two  Shum- 
sJianas,  or  Deacons.  The  elder  Priest  was  a  very 
intelligent  man,  of  reverend  appearance,  }i^\'ing  a  long 
white  beard,  and  of  an  afHible  and  engaging  deport- 
ment. The  tiu'ee  principal  Christians,  or  lay  elders, 
belonging  to  the  Church,  were  named  Abraham_,  Thoma, 
and  Alexandros.  After  sonie  conversation  with  my 
attendsmts  they  received  me  with  confidence  and  affec- 
tion ;  and  the  people  of  the  neighbouring  villages  came 
.round,  women  as  well  as  men.  The  sight  of  the  women 
assured  me  that  I  was  once  more  (after  a  long  absence 
from  England)  in  a  christian  country.  For  the  Hindoo 
women,  and  the  Mahomedan  women,  and  in  short,  all 
wonicu  who  are  not  Christians, -are  accounted  bv  tlie  men 


an  i^fefi|or  ra,ce :  ant],  in^  gperal,  are  conj^uae^,  lo.  tl)e 
hous<e  fox  life^  like  ij:ati^n^l  creature^.  In  fWy  coiiiv 
tenance  no>v  jbefoive  me  I  thought  I  -could  discover  tlj^ 
intelligence  of  Christiaqity-.  But  at  tl^e  same  time,  J. 
jpcrceived;^  all  aiQund,.  ^yip^tpms  of  povcit^^and  ppUticJ^ 
depressio|:^,.,  J^  |tl>|?  .Qipi^ches^^  m^d  i^,  tUe  p^pple^  ^tjiere 
\\'a3  /the  aif  of  fallen ,  gre^itness.  1  s^id  to  the  senior 
^Pilicst,  '  Xo\i  ^JPP^F^  ^?  iDp  like  a  people  who  have  knowa 
better,  d^ys.'  ,^Jit  \s  {^jj^i^  go/  said  , lie-  ,.^./.  We  are 
in  ;^a,  ;4^gen^rate.  .^V^fe.cptfjjp^red  >v^t,|i  ,(j>^,;'^^ 
He.poticed,  .that .  tlji,^r<e, \^'Ci;e  tvyo  cause^^  ojf  tl^eir  present 
.decay.  ^  V^l^put  300  yeai-s  ago,  an  enemy  came  from. the 
\vesty  ^caijjjijg  the  nn^iie  .of  Christj  but  armed  with  tl)p 
inc|}i,ij5iq^^:  ^^pd^cp|:pjpe^^e.d  'us  ^o.^e^Ji  jtl^e;pj^Qtectil9n  af 
the  jQ,atixe ^riqce^.  ./A^,^j  ^?!^,.^^^^^^  Pjinq^^  have  kept 
us  in  a  state  of  depjic^siop  ever  since.  .They  indeed 
recognize  our  anciei>t^.pei]3on|d,privj|^gp^  tPi^W  ^^^  <¥? 
g;er^.ral  nc^t  .t;a  the  Nats,  t^e.  nobility  ^j[  |the.  cowntiyi; 
but  ;jhey  ^J^'^,,1^n^roached  by  degrees, ^(^ft  jQ||r^prqpei:ty^ 
till  we  have  been  reduced  to  the  humble- state  in  which 
you  iiud  AS--  The  glory, iqf.o^r  Church  l^^.j^ass,^^!  aw^y^ 
but.;vve,]^Ojp,e  your  i\ation  ,\v^Ij)^pyiye  it^^i'n/  |l-Qbsei:ycd 
.thi^t  !^;tlxp,.<^lory  of^^  C^^juj-|:}h,^Qpul^  Fiever  ^j^,  .if  it 
preserved  ^the  Bilile/  f^W«  Jiave  preserved  the  Bible/ 
said  he^  '  the  J-^jnfJqp  ^Pyipi^s  ji;iever  .toucjied  our  liberty 

of  c.WSci^^ice, ^ .  M^^^y^'^^fi^  (f^^*^>^1y  P^  ^  -^^fi^S  ^'^^V 
them,  in  political  pQyyer^^  j^nd  ^Jiey  respect  Q\ix  religJQn. 
\Yc  have  also  convjc.^t^  f\'P^^  ^^^^  *^  tirpe;  but  in  this 
Cli|i:^tljan,  ^jpty^.we  ave< .  rij^t  ^so  active  as  >ve  once  \y.ere; 
besides,  it  is  not  so  creditable  now  to  becojijic  Christian, 
ia.G^-^]o\v„^s|ate/   ;!<§  ^h^n'poio^^4,,p[jt.  tP.^as  a  f^- 


1 18  Cl}ri<^tian  Eesearcljes 

boory  Brahmin,  (that  is,  a  Brahmin  of  the  highest  cast) 
who  had  lately  become  a  Christian,  and  assumed  the 
white  vestment  of  a  Syrian  Priest.  'The  learning  too 
of  the  Bible,'  he  added,  Ms  in  a  low  state  amongst  us. 
Our  copies  are  few  in  number;  and  that  number  is 
diminishing  instead  of  increasing ;  and  the  writing  out  a 
whole  copy  of  Sacred  Scriptures  is  a  great  labour,  where 
there  is  no  profit  and  little  piety/  .  I  then  produced  a 
printed  copy  of  the  Syriac  New  Testament.  There  was 
not  one  of  them  who  had  ever  seen  a  printed  copy  before. 
They  admired  it  much;  and  every  Priest,  as  it  came 
into  his  hands,  began  to  read  a  portion,  which  he  did 
fluently,  while  the  women  came  round  to  hear.  1  asked 
the  old  Priest  whether  I  should  send  them  some  copies 
from  Europe.  '  They  would  be  worth  their  weight  in 
silver,'  said  he.  He  asked  me  whether  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  printed  in  Syriac  as  well  as  the  New.  I  told 
hmi  it  was,  but  I  had  not  a  copy.  They  professed  an 
earnest  desire  to  obtain  some  copies  of  tlie  wJioIe  Syriac 
Bible;  and  asked  whether  it  would  be  practicable  to 
obtain  one  copy  for  every  church.  *  I  must  confess  to 
you,'  said  Zecharias,  *  that  we  have  very  few  copies  of 
the  PropJwtical  Scriptures  in  the  Church.  Our  Church 
languishes  for  want  of  the  Scriptures.'  But  he  added, 
•  the  language  that  is  most  in  use  among  the  people  is 
the  Malayalim,  (or  Malabar,)  the  vernacular  language  of 
the  country.  The  Syriac  is  now  only  the  learned  lan- 
guage, and  the  language  of  the  Church  :  but  we  gene- 
rally expound  the  Scriptures  to  the  people  in  the  verna- 
cular tongue.' 
^  I  then  entered  on  the  subject  of  the  translation  of  iiui 


respecting  njt  ^prtan^;  119 

Scriptures.  He  said  '  a  version  could  be  made  witli 
critical  accuracy;  for  there  were  many  of  the  Syrian 
Clergy  who  were  perfect  masters  of  Loth  ]angua.i,es, 
having  spoken  thern  from  their  infancy.'  ^  But,'  said  lie, 
'  our  Bishop  will  rejoice  to  sec  you,  uiid  to  discourse 
with  you  on  this  and  other  subjects.'  1  told  them  that 
if  a  translation  could  be  prepared,  I  should  be  able  to 
get  it  printed,  and  to  distribute  copies  among  their  fifty- 
five  Churches  at  a  small  price.  *  That  indeed  would 
give  joy,*  said  old  Abraham.  There  was  here  a  murmur 
of  Satisfaction  among  the  people.  *  If  I  understand  you 
right,*  said  I,  '  the  greatest  blessing  the  English  Cburcli 
can  bestow  upon  you,  is  the  Bible.*  *  It  is  so,*  said  he. 
'  And  what  is  the  next  greatest  V  said  I.  '  Some  freedom 
and  personal  consequence  as  a  people.*  By  which 
he  meant  political  liberty,  '  We  are  here  in  bondage, 
like  Israel  in  Egypt.*  I  observed  that  the  English 
nation  would  doubtless  recognize  a  nation  of  fellow 
Christians  ;  and  would  be  happy  to  interest  itself  in 
their  behalf,  as  far  as  our  political  relation  with  tlic 
Prince  of  the  country  would  permit.  They  wished  to 
know  what  were  the  principles  of  thu  English  Govern- 
ment, civil  and  religious.  I  answered  thjxt  our,  Govern- 
ment might  be  said  to  be  founded  generally  on  the 
principles  of  the  Bible.  '  Ah,'  said  old  Zecharias,  '  that 
must  be  a  glorious  Government  which  is  founded  on  the 
principles  of  the  Bible.'  The  Priests  then  desired  1 
would  give  them  some  account  of  the  History  of  the 
English  nation,  and  of  our  secession  from  their  enemy 
the  Church  of  liome.  And  iu  return,  I  requested  they 
would  give   jne  some  account  of   their  History. — My 


no  Ci)rt5t(au  Ee£;eatct)es 

communications  with  the  Syrians  are  rendered  very  easy,, 
by  means  of  an  Interpreter  whom  1  brought  with  me 
all  the  way  froni  the  Tanjore  country.  He  is  a  Hin- 
doo by  descent,  but  is  an  intelligent  Christian,  and  was 
a  pupil  and  catechist  of  the  late  Mr.  Swartz.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Kolhoff  recommended  him  to  me.  He  for- 
merly lived  in  Travancore,  and  is  well  acquainted  with 
the  vernacular  tongue.  He  also  reads  and  writes  En- 
glish pretty  well,  and  is  as  much  interested  in  favour  of 
the  Syrian  Christians  as  I  myself.  Besides  Mr.  Swartz's 
catechist,  there  are  two  natives  bf  Travancore  here^  who 
speak  the  Hindostanee  Language,  which  is  familiar 
to  me.  My  knowledge  of  the  Syriac  is  sufficient  to  refer 
to  texts  of  Scripture  ;  but  I  do  not  well  undei;stand 
the  pronunciation  of  the  Syrians.  I  hope  to  be  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  their  language  before  I  leave  the 
countTy.^ 


'  RaiMel,  a  Syrian  Church,  Nov.  I2th,  1806. 
*  This  Church  is  built  upon  a  rocky  liiil  on  the  banks  of 
the  river,  and  is  the  most  remote  of  all  the  Churches  in 
this  quarter.  The  two  Kasheeshas  here  are  Lucas  arid 
Mattai  (Luke  and  Matthew.)  The  chief  Lay  members 
are  Abraham,  Georgius,  Thoma,  and  Philippus.  Soine 
of  the  Priests  accompany  me  from  Church  to  Church. 
I  have  now  visited  eight  Churches,  and  scarcely  believe 
that  I  am  in  the  laud  of  the  Hindoos ;  only  that  I  now 


respecting  tlje  g)prums.  1 2 1 

and  then  see  a  Hindoo  temple  on  the  banks  of  the  river. 
I  observed  that  the  bells  of  most  of  the  Churches  are 
within  the  building,  and  not  in  a  tower.  The  reason 
they  said  was  this.  When  a  Hindoo  temple  happens  to 
be  near  a  church,  the  Hindoos  do  not  like  the  ])ell  to 
sound  loud,  for  they  say  it  frightens  their  God. — I  per- 
ceive that  the  Syrian  Christians  assimilate  much  to  the 
Hindoos  in  the  practice  of  frequent  ablutions  for  health 
and  cleanliness,  and  in  the  use  of  vegetables  and  light 
food. 

^  I  attended  divine  service  on  thfe  Sunday.  Their  Li- 
turgy is  that  which  was  formerly  used  in  the  Churches  of 
the  Patriarch  of  Antioch.  During  the  prayers,  there 
w^ere  intervals  of  silence  :  tlie  priests  praying  in  a  low 
voice  and  every  man  praying  for  himself.  These  silent 
intervals  add  much  to  the  solemnity  and  appearance  of 
devotion.  They  use  incense  in  the  Churclies,  it  grows 
in  the  woods  around  them ;  and  contributes  much,  they 
say,  to  health,  and  to  the  warmth  and  comfort  of  the 
Church  during  the  cold  and  rainy  season  of  the  year.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  service,  a  ceremony  takes  place 
which  pleased  me  much.  The  Priest,  (or  Bishop,  if  he 
be  present)  comes  forward,  and  all  the  people  pass  by  him' 
as  they  <^o  out,  receiving  lils  benediction  individually. 
If  any  rtian  has  been  guilty  of  any  immorality,  he  does 
not  receive  the  blessing;  and  this,  in  their  primitive  and 
patriarchal  state,  is  accounted  a  severe  punishment. 
Instruction  by  preaching  is  little  in  use  among  them  now. 
Many  of  tlie  old  men  lamented  the  decay  of  piety,  and 
religious  knowledge  ;  and  spoke  with  pleasure  of  the 
record  of  ancient  times.— They  have  some  ceremonies 


12^  €\)vUtitiM  Umaitljc^ 

nearly  allied  to  those  of  the  Greek  Church.  Herc/asfin 
all  Churches  in  a  state  of  decline,  there  h  too  much 
formahty  in  the  wOiship.  But  they  have  tlie  Bible  and  a 
scriptural  Liturgy;  and  these  will  save  a  Church  in  the 
worst  of  times.  Tliese  may  presence  the  spark  and  life 
of  reh'gion,  though  the  flame  he  out.  And  as  there  M'cre 
but  few  copies  of  the  Bible  among"  the  Syrians,  (for  cvcrr 
copy  was  transcribed  with  the  pen)  it  is  highly  probable 
tliat,  if  they  had  not  enjoyed  the  adv-antag-e  of  the  daily 
prayers,  and  daily  portions  of  Scripture  in  their  Liturgy, 
ther^  would  have  been,  in  the  revohit ion  of  ages,  no 
Ycstige  of  Christianity  left  among  them.* 


^  In  3  Batson  like  ours^  overflowing  with  knowledge,   men 
are  not  always  in  circumstances  to  perceive  tlic  value  of  a  scrip- 
tural Liturgy.     When  Christians   arc  well  taught,  they  tbii^k' 
they  waiit  something  better.      J>ul  the  young  and  the  ignorant, 
who  form  a  great  proportion  of  the  community,  are  editied  by 
a  httle  plain  scriptural  instruction  frequently  repeated.    A  smalJ 
Church  or  Sect  may  do  without  a  form   for  a  while.     But  a 
national  Liturgy  is  that  which  preserves  a  relic  of  the  true  faith 
among  the  people  in  a  large  empire,  when  the  Priests  leave 
their  articles  and  their  confessions  of  faith.     Woe  to  the 
declining  Church  which  hath  no  scriptural  Liturgy  !  For  when 
the  Bible  is  gone,  or  when  it  ceases  to  be  read  to  the  people, 
what  is  there  left  ?  Witness  the   Presbyterians  in  the  West  of 
England,  and  some  other  sects,  who  are  said  to  have  become 
Arians  and  Socinians  to  a  man.  Eight  chapters  of  holy  Scripture, 
on  an  average.  Including  the  Psalms,  are  read  to  the  people  on 
tvery  sabbaib  day,  in  ihe  Church  of  England.  J^our  chapters  are 
recommended  to  be  read  on  every  Sabbath  day  by  the  **  Direc- 
tory for  public  Worship"  in  the  Church  of  Scotland,  viz.  "One 


^  'riie  doctrines  of  the  Syrian  Christians  are  few  in 
number,  but  pure_,  and  agree  in  essential  points  with  tliosc 
of  the  Church  of  England  :  so  that,  although  the  body  of 

''  chapter  of  each  Testament  at  every  meeting."  But,  in  con- 
sequence of  its  not  being  positively  ordained,  (as  in  the  Church 
of  England)  not  one  chapter  is  now  regularly  read.  When, 
therefore,  a  minister  of  the  Kirk  chuses  to  deviate  fronv  the 
evangelical  doctrines  of  the  confession  of  faith,  (which 
will  sometimes  happen)  what,  we  would  ask,  is  there  left 
for  the  people  ?* 

The  Puritans  of  a  former  age  in  England,  did  not  live  long 
enough  to  see  the  use  of  an  evangelical  Formulary.  By  them, 
the  experiment  of  a  pure  church  devoid  of  form,  was  made 
under  the  most  favourable  circumstances.  I  know  not  what 
was  wanting  of  human  and  local  circumstance,  according  to 
their  own  principles,  to  give  peculiar  doctrines  perpetuity,  for 
they  assumed  that  an  establishment  and  human  ordinance  are  ot 
no  service  in  supporting  or  perpetuating  the  Church  of  Christ. 
But  yet  with  the  first  generation  of  men  (who  had  their  educa- 
tion 

■*  The  Kirk  of  Scotland  is,  we  believe,  the  only  national 
(Church  in  the  world  in  which  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  not  read. 
When  its  ministers  are  asked  why  they  do  not  conform  to  the 
authorised  Bitual  for  the  public  worship  of  the  nation,  and  read 
the  word  of  God  regularly  to  the  people,  they  answer  that 
"  the  people  do  not  like  it."  But,  if  it  be  true  that  the  people 
r>o  NOT  LIKE  to  hear  the  Scriptures  read  in  the  house  of  God, 
thfs  extraordinary  fact  is  the  strongest  proof  that  can  be  adduced 
©f  the  necessity  of  reading  them,  and  of  beginning  to  read 
them  without  delay.  How  can  it  be  expected  that  the  blessing 
of  God  should  continue  to  accompany  the  ministrations  of  any 
Church  where  his  holy  word  ceases  to  be  solemnly  read  to  the 
people  ? 


124  Cl)rfettan  Eeseard)e5 

the  Church  appears  to  be  ignorant^  and  formal,  and  dead, 
there  are  individuals  who  are  alive  to  righteousness,  who 

tion  in  Halls  and  Colleges)  the  spiritual  fervor  seemed  to  pass 
away.  Instead  of  increasing,  it  decreased  and  declined  in  most 
places,  till  little  more  than  the  name  was  Jeft.  For  when  the 
spirit  is  gone,  (in  a  church  having  no  form)  rmthing  is  left.  In 
the  mean  time,  there  was  a  revival  of  religion  in  England  (not 
amongst  them,  but  in  Hails  and  Colleges  5)  in  the  midst  of 
rational  forms  and  evangelical  articles :  *'  for  so  it  seemed 
GOOD  UKTO  GOD  ;"  and  from  that  source  is  derived  the  greater 
part  of  pure  religion  now  professed  in  this  land,  under  what- 
ever form  it  may  exist. 

These  observations  are  not  made  in  a  spirit  of  disrespect  for 
any  mode  of  Christian  worship  :  every  form,  we  know,  is 
human,  and  therefore  imperfect :  nor  is  perfection  required  > 
for  that  form  is  best  for  the  time,  which  is  best'  administered. 
Christ  left  no  form  :  (though  he  approved  of  the  forms  which 
he  found)  because  Churches  in  different  climates  must  have 
difFere'nt forms.  "There  are  differences  of  administrations, 
(saith  the  Apostle)  but  the  same  Lord."  1  Cor.  i.  12.  "  One 
"  man  esteemeth  one  day  above  another.  He  that  regardeth 
"  the  day,  (as  Easter  and  Pentecost)  regardeth  it  unto  the 
'^  Lord  5  and  ii€  that  regardeth  not  the  day,  to  the  Lord  he 
."  doth  t^ot  regard  it."  Horn.  xiv.  6.  We  are  not  to  "  despise 
a  weak  brother,  for  whom  Christ  died,"  (I  Cor.  viii.  11.) 
though  he  be  destitute  of  learning,  and  think  he  possesses  all 
that  is  necessary  for  regulating  a  Church,  when  he  has  got  the 
leaves  of  the  New  Testament  ;  when  the  truth  is,  that  a  know- 
ledge of  cotemporary  history  and  languages  is  as  necessary  to 
understand  certain  facts  of  the  New  Testament,  as  the  facts  of 
any  other  book.  But  the  above  remarks  have  been  made  with 
this  view,  to  qualify  the  contempt,  which  ignorant  persons  in 
small  sects  frequently  express  for  the  established  worship  of  a 
Christian  JEaipiss, 


respecting  tlje  ^pmns.  1^5 

sre  distinguished  from  the 'rest  by  their  purity  of  life,  and 
are  sometimes  censured  for  too  rigid  a  piety. 

^  The  following  are  .the  chief  doctrines  of  this  ancient 
Church : 

^  1,  They  hold  the  doctrine  of  a  vicarious  Atonement 
for  the  sins  of  men,  by  the  blood  and  merits  of  Christ, 
and  of  the  justification  of  the  soul  before  God,  ^'^  by  faith 
^lone/'  in  that  atonement, 

*  2.  They  maintain  the  Regeneration,  or  new  birth 
of  the  Soul  to  righteousness,  by  the  influence  of  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  which  change  is  called  in  their  books,  from 
the  Greek,  the  Meta-Noia,  or  change  of  Mind. 

^  3.  In  regard  to  the  Trinity,  the  creed  of  the  Syrian 
Christians  accords  with  that  of  St.  Athanasius,  but  with- 
out the  damnatory  clauses.  In  a  written  and  official 
communication  to  the  English  Resident  of  Travancore, 
the  Metropolitan  states  it  to  be  as  follows  : 

^^  We  l)elieve  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
^'  three  persons  in  one  God,  neither  confounding  the 
^^  persons  nor  dividing  the  substance,  one  in  three,  and 
'**  tl»ee  in  one.  The  Father  generator,  the  Son  genera- 
*^  ted,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeding.  None  is  before 
"  or  after  the  other;  in  majesty,  honour,  might,  and 
^^  power,  co-equal;  Unity  in  Trinity,  and  Trinity  in 
•'  Unity."  He  then  proceeds  to  disclaim  the  different 
errors  of  Arius,  Sabelius,  Macedonius,  Manes,  Mar- 
cianus,  Jullanus,  Nestorius,  and  the  Chalcedonians  ;  and 
concludes,  "  That  in  the  appointed  time,  thrqugh  the 
^'^  disposition  of  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Son 
*^  appeared  on  earth  for  the  salvation  of  mankind ;  that 
*'  he  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  through  the  means 


vzG  Cf)ri5tian  iaesearcljes 


of  the  Holy   Ghost,    and    was    incarnate   God  and 
man." 


^  In  every  Church,  and  in  many  of  the  private  houses, 
here  are  manuscri})ts  in  the  Syriac  Language :  and  I  have 
been  successful  in  procuring  some  old  and  valuable 
copies  of  the  Scriptures  and  other  books,  written  in  dif- 
ferent ages  and  in  different  characters/ 


*  Caiide-nad,  a  Church  of  the  Syrian  ChristianSy 
November  23,  1806. 

'  This  is  the  residence  of  Mar  Dionysius,  the  Metro- 
politan of  the  Syrian  Church.  A  number  of  the  Priests 
from  the  other  Churelies  had  assembled  by  desire  of  the 
Bishop,  before  my  arrival.  The  Bishop  resides  in  a 
building  attached  to  the  Church.  I  was  much  struck 
with  his  first  appearance.  He  v.as  drest  in  a  vestment  of 
dark  red  silk ;  .a  large  golden  cross  hung  from  his  neck, 
and  his  venerable  beard  reached  below  his  girdle.  Such, 
tliought  I,  was  the  appearance  of  CInysostom  in  the- 
fourth  century.  On  public  occasions,  he  wears  the 
Episcopal  mitre  ;  a  muslin  robe  is  thrown  over  his  under 
garment,  and  ia  his  hand  he  bears  the  crosier,  or  pasto- 
ral siaff.-— He  is  a  man  of  highly  respectable  character 
in  his  Church,  f^minent  for  his  piety,  -md  for  the  atten- 
ticn  he  devotes  to  his  sacred   functions.     I  fmivd  him 


to  be  far  superior  in  general  learning  to  any  of  liis  clergy 
v.  horn  I  had  yet  seen.  He  told  me  that  all  my  conversa- 
tions with  his  Priests  since  my  arrival  in  the  country  had 
been  communicated  to  liim.  *  You  have  come,'  said  he, 
to  visit  a  declining  Church,  and  I  am  now  an  old  man : 
hut  the  hopes  of  its  seeing  better  days  cheer  my  old  age, 
though  I  may  not  live  to  see  them/ — I  submitted  to  the 
Bishop  my  wishes  in  rtgard  to  the  translation  and  print- 
ing of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  '  I  have  already  fully  con- 
sidered the  subject,*  said  he,  '  and  have  determined  to 
superintend  the  work  myself,  and  to  call  the  most  learn- 
ed of  my  clergy  to  my  aid.  It  is  a  work  which  will  iliu- 
minate  these  dark  regions,  and  God  w^ll  give  it  his  ])les- 
snig.'  I  was  much  pleased  when  I  heard  this  pious 
resolution  of  the  venerable  man  ;  for  I  had  now  ascer- 
tained that  there  are  upwards  of  200,000  Christians  in 
the  South  of  India,  besides  the  Syrians,  who  speak  tfie 
Malabar  Language.' — -The  next  subject  of  importance  ir 
my  mind,  was  the  collection  of  useful  manuscripts  in  the 
(  luddaic  and  Syriac  Languages  ;  and  the  Bishop  was 
pleased  to  say  that  he  would  assist  my  inquiries  and  add 
to  my  collection. — He  descanted  with  gieat  satisfaction 
o[j  the  hope  of  seeing  printed  Syriac  Bibles  from  Eng- 
land: and  said  they  would  be  '  a  treasure  to  his  Church/ 


^  Candc-nad,  24th  Nacember,   ISOtJ. 

*  Since   my  coming  amongst  this  people,  I  had  che- 
rished the  liope  that  they  might  be  one  day  united  with 


V2S  Cijrtsitiatt  iaeiseait!)e5 

the  Church   of  England.     When  I  reflected  on  the  im- 
mense power  of  the  Romish  Church  in  India,  and  on  our 
inahility  to  withstand  its  influence^  alone,  it  appeared  to 
be  an  object  of  great  consequence   to  secure  the  aid  and 
co-operation  of  the  Syrian  Church,   and  the  sanction  of 
its  antiquity  in  the  East.     I    thought  it  might  be  ser- 
viceable, at  least,  to  lay  such  a  foundation  by  the  discus- 
sion of  the  subject,  as  our  Church  might  act  upon  here- 
after, if  he  should  think   it  expedient.     I  was  afraid  to 
mention  the  subject  to  the  Bishop  at  our  first  interview  ; 
but  he  himself  intimated  that  he   would  be  glad  I  would 
communicate  freely  upon  it  with  two  of  his  clergy.— 1 
had  hitherto  observed  somewhat  of  a  reserve  in  those 
with.whom  I  had  conversed  on  this  matter :  and  now  the 
caurjc  was  explained.     The  Bishop's  chaplains  confessed 
to  me  that  they  had  doubts  as  to  the  purity   of  Englisli 
Ordination.    ^  The  English,'  said  they,   '  may  be  warlike 
and   great  people  ;  but  their   Church,  by   your  own  ac- 
count, is  but  of  a  recent  origin.     Whence  do  you  derive 
your  Ordination  r'    '  From  Rome.'    '  You  derive  it  from  a 
Church  which   is  our  ancient  enemy,  and  with  wlilch  we 
would    never    unite.' — They    acknowledged    that    there 
migiit  be  salvation  in  every  Church  where  ^  the  name  of 
Christ  was  named;'  but  in  the  question  of  an  union,  it 
was  to  be  considered  that  they  had  existed  a  pure  Church 
of  Christ  from  the  earliest  ages ;  that  if  there  w^as  such  a 
tiling  in    the  world  as  Ordination  by  the  laying  on  of 
hands,  in  succession  from  the  Apostles,  it  was  probable 
that    they  possessed   it  ;  that   there  was    no   record   of 
history  or   tiaditlon  to  impeach  their  clalui.     I  observed 
that  there  was  reason  to  believe  tliat  the  same  Ordination 


respertmg  tt)e  g^prtans^  129 

'^lad  descended  from  the  Apostles  to  the  Church  of  Rome. 
^It  might  be  so  :  but  that  Church  had  departed  from  the 
faith.'  I  answered  that  the  impurity  of  the  channel  had 
not  cornipted  the  ordinance  itself,  or  invalidated  the  le- 
gitimacy of  the  imposition  of  hands ;  any  more  than  the 
wickedness  of  a  High  Priest  in  Israel  could  disqualify  his 
successors.  The  Church  of  England  assumed  that  she 
derived  Apostolical  Ordination  through  the  Church  of 
Rome,  as  she  might  have  derived  it  through  the  Church 
of  Antioch.  I  did  not  consider  that  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land was  entitled  to  reckon  her  Ordination  to  be  higher 
or  more  sacred  than  that  of  the  Syrian  Church.  This 
was  the  point  upon  which  they  wished  me  to  be  explicit. 
They  expected  that  in  any  official  negotiation  on  tlris 
subject,  the  antiquity  and  purity  of  Syrian  Ordination 
should  be  expressly  admitted. 

'  Our  conversation  was  reported  to  the  Bishop.  He 
wished  me  to  state  the  advantages  of  an  Union.  One 
advantage  would  he,  I  observed,  that  English  Clergymen, 
or  rather  Missionaries  ordained  by  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, might  be  permitted  hereafter  to  preach  in  the 
numerous  Churches  of  the  Syrians  i in  India,  and  aid  them 
in  the  promulgation  of  pure  religion,  against  the  pre- 
ponderating and  increasing  influence  of  the  Romish 
Church;  and  again.  That  Ordination  by  the  Syrian 
Bishop  might  qualify  for  preaching  in  the  English 
Churches  in  India ;  for  we  had  an  immense  Empire  in 
Hindostan,  but  few  Preachers  :  and  of  these  few  scarcely 
any  could  preach  in  the  native  languages. — The  Bishop 
said,  '  I  would  sacrifice  much  for  such  an  Union :  only^ 
let  me  not  be  called  to  compromise  any  thing  of  the 


130  Cf)rfetian  Eesearcljes 

dignity  and  purity  of  our  Church/  I  told  him,  we  did 
not  wish  to  degrade,  we  would  rather  protect  and  defend 
it.  All  must  confess  that  it  was  Christ's  Church  in  the 
midst  of  a  heathen  land.  The  Church  of  England  would 
be  happy  to  promote  its  welfare,  to  revive  its  spirit,  and 
to  use  it  as  an  instrument  of  future  good  in  the  midst  of 
her  'Own  Empire.  I  took  tliis  occasion  to  observe  that 
there  were  some  rites  and  practices  in  the  Syrian 
Church,  which  our  Church  might  consider  objectionable 
or  nugatory.  The  Bishop  confessed  \hat  some  customs 
liad  been  introduced  -during  their  decline  in  the  latter 
centuries,  which  had  no  necessary  connection  with  the 
constitution  of  the  Church,  and  might  be  removed  with- 
out inconvenience.  He  asked  whether  J  had  authority 
from  my  own  Church  to  make  any  proposition  to  him. 
I  answered  that  I  had  not :  that  my  own  Church  scarcely 
knew  tiuit  the  Syrian  Church  existed :  but  I  could  ahti- 
ci])ate  the  wishes  and  purposes  of  good  men.  He 
thought  it  strange  that  there  was  no  Bishop  in  India  to 
superintend  so  large  an  Empire;  and  said  he  did  not 
perfectly  comprehend  our  ecclesiastical  principles.  I 
told  him  that  we  had  sent  Bishops  to  other  countries ; 
but  that  our  Indian  Empire  w^as  yet  in  its  infancy. — 
Next  day,  the  Bishop,  after  conferring  with  his  clergy 
on  the  subject,  returned  an  answer  in  writing  to  the  ^ 
following  effect:  'That  an  union  with  the  English 
Church,  or,  at  least,  such  a  connection  as  should  appear 
to  both  Churches  practicable  and  expedient,  would  be  a 
happy  event,  and  favourable  to  the  advancement  of  Reli- 
gion in  India.'  In  making  this  communication,  be  used 
his  official  designation,  '  Mar  Dionysius,  Metropolitan  of 


rfepectms  tlje  g>prian5.  131 

Malabar.' — I  asked  the  Bishop  if  he  would  permit  two 
of  the  young  Cassanars  to  go  to  England  to  finish  their 
education^  and  then  return  to  India.  He  said  he  should 
be  very  happy  to  give  his  permission,  if  any  should  be 
found  who  were  willing  to  go.  I  have  accordingly  made 
the  offer  to  two  youths  of  good  abilities,  who  are  well 
skilled  in  the  Syriac  Language.' 


'  Cande-nad,  25th  Nov, 

'  The  Bishop  was  desirous  to  know  something  of  the 
other  Churches  which  had  separated  from  Rome.  I  was 
ashamed  to  tell  him  how  many  they  Were.  I  mentioned 
that  there  was  a  Kasheeslia  or  Presbyter  Church  in  our 
own  kingdom,  in  which  eveiy  Kasheesha  was  equal  to 
another.  '  And  are  there  no  Slmmshanas  T  (Deacons 
in  holy  orders.)  '  None.'  ^  And  what,  is  there  nobody  to 
overlook  the  Kasheeshas  r'  '  Not  one.'  '•  And  who  is  the 
Angel  of  their  Church?'  (alluding  to  the  form  of  the 
seven  Churches  in  Asia.  Rev.  ii.  1)  ^  They  have  none.' 
^  There  must  be  something  imperfect  there,'  said  he.* 


*  It  is  proper  to  state,  for  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  may 
differ  in  opinion  with  the  venerable  Bishop,  that  in  the  Syriac 
translation  of  the  New  Testament,  there  is  no  proper  word  for 
Bishop  other  than  Kasheesha.  The  words  Kasheesha  and  Shum- 
shana,  or  properly  Me-shumshana,  are  the  two  terms  for  the 
two  orders  of  Bishop   and  Deacon,  in  the  third  chapter  of  1st 

k2 


132  C^rfetCan  Eesearcljeg 

Tills  led  to  die  mention  of  the 'different  sects.  Those 
which  most  interested  him  were  the  Quakers  and  Bap- 
tists. He  said  it  was  an  imposing  idea  to  wash  the  body 
with  water,  to  begin  a  new  life.  He  asked  whether  they 
were  baptized  again  every  time  they  relapsed  into  sin  and 
known  apostacy. — Are  there  good  men  amongst  these 
sects  ?  ^  Excellent  men  almost  in  all.'  ^  I  see  it  is 
with  you  as  it  was  in  the  first  ages  5  new  sects  were  pro- 
duced by  true  piety,  but  it  was  piety  founded  on  igno- 
rance. But  do  not  good  men  in  these  sects  relax  a  lit- 
tle when  they  grow  old  ?'  '  Yes,  they  speak  in  general 
less  frequently  and  less  dogmatically  of  their  peculiar 
forms  when  they  are  old :  one  reason  of  which  is,  that 
the  smaller  sects,  who  are  for  the  most  part  poor,  gene- 
rally acquire  their  competence  of  learning  in  advanced 
life.'— We  next  had  some  conversation  concerning  forms 
of  worship ;  whether  Christ  intended  that  his  Church 
should  have  the  same  form  under  the  burning  liney  and 
in  a  country  of  frost  and  snow.' 


Timothy.  The  terms  Episcnpos  and  Methropolita  have  been 
introduced  into  the  Syrian  Church  from  the  Greek.  Th© 
Bishop  seemed  to  be  more  surprised  at  the  striking  out  th« 
aaored  order  of  Deacon,  than  at  not  finding  the  order  of  a 
superinrending  Priest  or  Bishop. 


re^pectinff  tfje  g^priaus?*  1 33 


*  Udiamper,  Bee.  ISOG. 

*  From^  Cande-nad  I  returned  to  the  sea-coast  to  visit 
i/ieiit.-Coloncl  Macaulay,   the  British  Resident  in  Tra- 
vancore.      He  is  at  present  on  the  island  of  Bal-gatty, 
called  i)y  the  natives  the  Pepper- Jungle.     1  have  derived 
much  y^aluable  information  from  this  intelligent  officer, 
who  p:>sscs&es  a- better  knowledge  of  the  South  of  India 
than  I  suppose  any  other  European.     He  is   a  gentle- 
man of  a  highly  cultivated  mind,  of  much  various  learn- 
ing, and  master  of  several  languages.     To  these  attain- 
ments he  adds  a   quality  which  does  not  always  accom- 
pany them.— He  is  the  friend  of  Christianity.     After 
residing  with  him  a  few  days,  he  accompanied   me  in   a 
tour  to  the  interior.     We  first  visited  Udlamper,  or  as  it 
is  called  by  the  Portuguese  writers,  Diamper.     This  was 
formerly  the  residence  of  Bellartc,  King   of  the   Chris- 
tians ;  and  here  is  the  Syrian  Church  at  which  Arch- 
bishop Menezes  from  Goa,  convened  the  Synod  of  the 
Syrian  Clergy  in  15f)9,  when  he  burned  the  Syriac  and 
Chaldaic  books.       The  Syrians  report,  that  while    th.e 
flames  ascended,  he  went  round  the  Church  in  procession 
chaunting  a  song  of  triumph. 

^  From  Udiamper,  Colonel  Macaulay  accompanied  me 
to  Cande-nad,  to  visit  the  Syrian  Bishop  a  second  time. 
He  told  us  he  had  commenced  the  translation  of  tlie 
Scriptures.  He  was  rather  indisposed,  and  said  he  felt 
the  infirmities  of  advanced  years,  his  age  being  now 
seventy-eight.  I  promised  to  sec  him  once  more  before 
I  left  the  country.' 


1 34    ^ ;       Cljrfetian  EesJeaicIjes 


'  Cranganore,^thDec.  IS07. 

^  This  is  that  celebrated  place  of  Christian  antiquity 
where  the  Apostle  Thomas  is  said  to  have  landed,  when 
he  first  arrived  in  India  from  Aden  in  Arabia.  Tliere 
was  formerly  a  town- and  Fort  at  Cranganore,  the  Portu- 
guese having  once  tliought  of  making  it  tjie  emporium 
of  their  commerce  in  India  ;  but  both  are  now  in  ruins. 
There  is,  however,  one  substantial  relic  of  its  greatness. 
There  is  an  Archbishop  at  Cranganore,  and  subject  to 
liim  there  are  forty-five  Churches  ;  many  of  which  I 
entered.  In  some  of  them  the  worship  is  conducted 
with  as  much  decorum  as  in  the  Romish  Churches  of 
Western  Ireland.  Not  far  from  Cranganore  is  the  town 
of  Paroor,  where  there  is  an  ancient  Syrian  Church, 
which  bears  the  name  of  the  Apostle  Thomas.  It  is 
supposed  to  be  the  oldest  in  Malabar,  and  is  still  used 
for  Divine  Service.  I  took  a  drawing  of  it.  The  tra- 
dition among  the  Syrians  is,  that  the  Apostle  continued 
at  this  place  for  a  time  before  he  went  to  preach  at 
Melapoor  and  St.*  Thomas's  Mount,  on  the  coast  of 
Coromandel,  where  he  was  put  to  death. — The  fact  is 
certainly  of  little  consequence ;  but  I  am  satisfied  that 
we  have  as  good  authority  for  believing  that  the  Apo§-; 
tie  Thomas  died  in  India,  as  that  the  Apostle  Peter  die4 
at  Rome.' 


respecting  tlje  g^grians.  135 


^   Vevapoli,  Dec,  1806. 

*  This  is  the  residence  of  Bishop  Raymondo,  the  Pope's 
Apostolic  Vicar  in  Malabar.  There  is  a  College  here 
for  the  Sacerdotal  office,  in  which  the  students  (from  ten 
to  twenty  in  number)  are  instructed  in  the  Latin  and 
Syriac  Languages. — At.Pulingunna  there  is  another 
College  in  which  the  Syriac  alone  is  taught.  Here  I 
counted  twelve  Students.  The  Apostolic  Vicai*  super- 
intends sixty-four  Churches  ;  exclusive  of  the  forty ^ five 
governed  by  the  Archbishop  of  Cranganore,  and  exclu- 
sive ofthe  large  Dioceses  of  the  Bishops  of  Cochin  and 
of  Quilon,  whose  Churches  extend  to  Cape  Comorin, 
and  are  visible  from  the  sea.  The  view  of  this  assem- 
blage of  Christian  congregations  excited  in  my  mind 
mingled  sensations  of  pleasure  and  regret  -,  of  pleasure 
to  think  that  so  many  of  the  Hindoos  have  been  rescued 
from  the  idolatry  of  Brahma,  and  its  criminal  worship  ; 
and  of  regret  when  I  reflected  that  there  was  not  to  be 
found  among  the  whole  body,  one  copy  of  the  Holy 
Bible. 

The  Apostolic  Vicar  is  an  Italian,  and  corresponds 
with  the  Society  ^  de  propaganda  Fide.'  He  is  a  man  of 
liberal  manners,  and  gave  me  free  access  to  the  archives 
of  Verapoli,  which  are  upwards  of  two  centuries  old. 
In  the  library  I  found  many  volumes  marked  '  Liber  he- 
reticus  p^iohibitus.'  Almost  every  step  I  take  in  Chris- 
tian India,  I  meet  with  a  memento  of  the  Inquisition. 
The  Apostolical  Vicar,  however,  does  not  acknowledge 
its  authority,  and  places*  himself  under  British  protec- 
tion.    He  spoke  of  the  Inquisition  with  just  indignation, 


1 56    ,         Cljrfefian  iHrj>earc!)e<^ 

and,  in  the  presence  of  the  British  Resident,  called  if 
*  a  horrid  Tribunal.'  .1  asked  hbn  vvliether  he  thought  I 
might  with  safety  visit  the  Inquisition,  when  I  sailed  past 
Goa,  theye  being  at  this  time  a  Britisli  force  in  its 
vicinity.  It  asserted  a  personal  jurisdiction  over 
natives  v*dio  were  now  British  subjects  :  and  it  was  proper 
the  English  Government  should  know  something  of  its 
present  state.  The  bishop  answered,  '  I  do  not  know 
what  you  might  do  under  tlie  protection  of  a  British 
force ;  but  I  should  not  like  (smiling,  and  pressing  his 
capacious  sides,)  to  trust  m?/  body  in  their  liands.' 

^  We  then  had    some   conversation   on  the  subject  of 
giving   the   Scriptures   to  the   native  Roman  Catholics. 
I  had  heard  before,  that  tbe  Bishop  was   by  no  means 
hostile  to  the  measure.     I  told  him  that  I  should  proba- 
bly find  the  means  of  translating  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Malabar  Language,   and  wished  to  know  whether  he  had 
any  objection  to  this  mode  of  illuminating  the  ignorant 
minds  of  the  native  Christians.      He  said  he  had  none. 
I  visited  the  Bishop  two  or  three  times  afterwards.     At 
our  last  interview  he  said.   '  I  have  been  tliinking  of  the 
good  gift  you  are  meditating  for  the  native    Christians ; 
hut  believe  me,  the  Inauisition  will  endeav^our  to  coun- 
teract your  purposes    by  every  means  in  their  power.     I 
afterwards  conversed  with  an   intelligent  native   Priest, 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  state  and  character  of 
the  Christians,  and  asked' h.im  whether  he  thought  they 
■would  be  happy  to  obtain  the  Scriptures  ? — '  Yes,'   an- 
jswered  he, '  those  who  have  heard  of  them.'     I  asked   if 
he  had  got  a  Bible  himself  ? — ^No,'  he  said ;  '  but  he  had 
seen  one  at  Goa.' 


itspccting  tlje  §)j)rians.    \^'  4^7- 


'"'  ??;, 


■< 


^  Angamalee,  a  Syrian  Town,  containing  three  Churches, 

January,  I8O7. 

*  I  have  penetrated  once  more  inland  to  visit  the  Syrian 
Churches.  At  the  town  of  Cenotta,  I  was  surprised 
to  meet  with  Jews  and  Christians  in  the  same  street. 
The  Jews  led  me  first  to  their  Synagogue,  and  allowed 
me  to  take  away  some  manuscripts  for  money.  TJve 
Syrian  Christians  then  conducted  me  to  their  ancient 
church.  I  afterwards  sat  down  on  an  eminence  ahove 
the  town  to  contemplate  this  interesting  spectacle ;  a 
Jewish  Synagogue,  and  a  Christian  Church,  standing 
ov^r  against  each  other;  exhihiting,  as  it  were,  during 
tnany  revolving  ages,  the  Law  and  the  Gospel  to  the 
view  of  the  heathen  people. 

^  Angamalee  is  one  of  tlie  most  remote  of  the  Syrian 
'  towns  in  this  direction,  and  is  situated  on  a  high  land. 
This    was    one  J    the    residence    of  the  Syrian  Bishop. 
,  The   inhabitants   told  me,  that  when    Tippoo  Sultan  in- 
vaded Travancore,  a   detachment  of  his  cavalry  penetra- 
ted to  Angamalee^   where   they  expected  to  find  great 
wealth,    from    its    ancient  fame.     Being  Mahomedans, 
'they  expressed  their  abhorrence   of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, by  destroying  one  of  the  lesser  Churches,  and  sta- 
bling their  horses  in  the  great  Church.     In  this  place 
I  have  found  a   good   many   valuable  manuscripts.       I 
had   been    led    to  suppose,    from  the  statement  of  the 
Portuguese  historians,  that  possibly  all  the  Syriac  MSS. 


138  Cljmtian  iReseardjfS 

of  the  Bible  had  been  burned  by  the  Romish  Church 
at  the  Synod  of  Diamper^  in  1599.  But  this  was  not 
the  case.  The  Inquisitors  condemned  many  books  to 
the  flames ;  but  tliey  saved  the  Bible  ;  being  content  to 
order  that  the  Syriac  Scriptures  should  be  amended, 
agreeably  to  the  Vulgate  of  Rome.  But  many  Bibles 
and  other  volumes  were  not  produced  at  all.'  In  the 
acts  of  the  council  of  Nice,  it  is  recorded,  that  Johan- 
nes, Bishop  of  India,  signed  his  name  at  that  council 
in  A.  b.  325.  The  Syriac  version  of  the  Scriptures  was 
brought  to  India,  according  to  the  popular  belief,  before 
the  year  325.  Some  of  their  present  copies  are  certain- 
ly of  ancient  date.  Though  wiitten  on  a  strong  thick 
paper,  like  that  of  some  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum, 
commonly  called  Eastern  paper,  the  ink  has,  in  several 
places,  eat  through  the  material  in  the  exact  form  of  the 
letter.  In  other  copies,  where  the  ink  liad  less  of  a 
corroding  quality,  it  has  fallen  off,  and  left  a  dark  vestige 
of  the  letter  ;  faint,  indeed,  but  not  in  general  illegible. 
There  is  a  volume,  which  was  deposited  in  one 
of  the  remote  Churches,  near  the  mountains,  which 
merits  a  particular  description.  It  contains  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  engrossed  on  strong  vellum, 
in  large  folio,  having  three  columns  in  a  page ;  and  is 
written  with  beautiful  accuracy.  The  character  is  Es- 
trangelo  Syriac  ;  and  the  words  of  every  book  are  niim- 
hei'ed.  'But  the  volume  has  suffered  injury  from  time 
or  neglect.  In  certain  plaices  the  ink  has  been  totally 
obliterated  from  the  page,  and  left  the  parchment  in 
its  state  of  natural  whiteness  :  but  the  letters  can,  in 
general,    be  distinctly  traced  from  the  impress  of   the 


pen,  or  from  the  partial  corrosion  of  the  ink.  I  scarcely 
expected  that  the  Syrian  Church  would  have  parted  with 
tliis  manuscript.  But  the  Bishop  was  pleased  to  present 
it  to  me,  saying,  '  It  will  be  safdr  in  your  hands  than  in 
our  own  ;'  alluding  to  the  revolutions  in  Hindostan. — 
'  And  yet/  said  he^,  ^  we  have  kept  it,  as  some  think,  for 
near  a  thousand  years.' — ^  I  wish,"  said  I,  '  that  England 
may  be  able  to  keep  it  a  thousand  years  .^ — In  looking 
over  it,  I  find  the  very  first  proposed  emendation  of  the 
Hebrew  Text  by  Dr.  Kennicott,  (Gen.  iv.  8.)  in  this 
manuscript ;  and,  no  doubt,  it  is  the  right  reading.  The 
disputed  passage  in  1  John  v.  7-  is  not  to  be  found  in  it ; 
nor  is  this  verse  to  be  found  in  any  copy  of  the  Syrian 
Scriptures,  which  I  have  yet  seen.*  The  view  of  these 
copies  of  the  Scriptures,   and   of  the   Churches  which 


*  Notwithstanding  this  omission,  the  author  believes  the 
passage  to  be  genuine.  The  foundation  on  which  he  builds 
this  opinion,  is  the  following  :  Considering,  as  he  does,  that 
the  learning  and  argument  on  both  sides  of  the  subject  have 
been  nearly  equal,  he  would  rest  the  genuineness  of  the  verse 
on  the  answer  to  the  following  question  :  • '  Which  is  most 
likely  to  be  true.  That  the  Avians  of  the  fourth  century,  in 
their  fury  against  the  Church  should  silently  omit  a  testimony 
(in  transcribing  their  copies)  which,  if  true,  destroyed  their 
whole  system  -,  or  That  the  general  Church  should  directly 
forge  and  insert  it  ?" 

This  appears  to  the  author  to  be  the  just  mode  of  stating  the 
question  3  but  he  has  certainly  no  wish  to  awaken  the  contro- 
versy concerning  this  verse.  If  it  be  genuine  it  is  only  one  of 
the  hewn-stones  of  the  temple.  If  it  be  not  genuine,  it  is 
not  a  corner-stone. 


140  Cfjrisitiau  Ee£)earci)e5 

contain  them,  still  continues  to  excite  a  pleasing  astonish- 
ment in  my  mind  :  and  I  sometimes  question  myself, 
whether  I  am  indeed  in  India,  in  the  midst  of  the  Hin^ 
doos,  and  not  far  from  the  equinoctial  line.  How  won- 
derful it  is,  that  during  the  dark  ages  of  Europe;  whilst 
ignorance  and  superstition,  in  a  manner,  denied  die 
Scriptures  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  the  Bible  should 
have  found  an  asylum  in  the  mountains  ofMalay-ala; 
where  it  was  freely  read  by  upwards  of  an  hundred 
Churches  1 

^  But  there  are  other  ancient  documents  in  Malabar, 
not  less  interesting  than  the  Syrian  Manuscripts.  The 
old  Portuguese  historians  relate,  that  soon  after  jhe 
arrival  of  their  countrymen  in  India,  about  300  years 
ago,  the  Syrian  Bishop  of  Angamalce  (the  place  where 
I  now  am)  deposited  in  the  Fort  of  Cochin,  for  safe 
custody,  certain  tablets  of  brass,  on  which  were  engraved 
rights  of  nobility,  and  other  privileges  granted  by  a  Prince 
of  a  former  age  ;  and  that  while  these  Tablets  were  under 
the  charge  of  the  Portuguese,  tlrey  had  been  unaccount- 
ably lost,  and  were  never  after  heard  of.  Adrian  Moens, 
a  Governor  of  Cochin,  in  1770,  who  published  some 
account  of  the  Jews  of  Malabar,  informs  us  that  he  used 
every  means  in  his  power,  foi*  many  years,  to  obtain  a 
sight  of  the  famed  Christian  Plates ;  and  was  at  length 
satisfied  that  they  were  irrecoverably  lost,  or  rather,  he 
adds,  that  they  never  existed.  The  learned  in  general, 
and  the  Antiquarian  in  particular,  will  be  glad  to  hear 
that  these  ancient  Tablets  have  been  recovered  within 
this  last  month  by  the  exertions   of  Colonel  Macaulay, 


mpecttns;  fl)e  g^prians.  i4i 

the  British  Resident  in  Travancore,  and  are  now  officially 
deposited  with  that  officer. 

'The  Christian  Tablets  are  six  in  number.  They 
are  composed  of  a  mixed  metal.  The  engraving  on 
the  largest  plate  is  thirteen  inches  long,  by  about  four 
broad.  They  are  closely  written,  four  of  them  on  both 
iides  of  the  plate,  making  in  all  eleven  pages.  On 
the  plate  reputed  to  be  the  oldest,  there  is  writing  per- 
spicuously engraved  in  nail-headed  or  triangular-headed 
letters,  resembling  the  Pei'sepolitan  or  Babylonish.  On 
the  same  plate  there  is  writing  in  another  character, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  no  affinity  with  any  existing 
character  in  Hindostan.  The  grant  on  this  plate  appears 
to  b^  witnessed  by  four  Jews  of  rank,  whost^  names  arc 
distinctly  engraved  in  an  old  Hebrew  character,  resem- 
bling the  alphabet  called  the  Palmyrenei  and  to  each 
name  is  prefixed  the  title  of  *  Magen,'  or  Chief,  as  the 
Jews  translated  it.— It  may  be  doubted,  whether  there 
exists  in  the  world  any  documents  of  so  great  length, 
which  are  of  equal  antiquity,  and  in  such  faultless  pre- 
servation, as  the  Christian  Tablets  of  Malabar.— The 
Jews  of  Cochin  indeed  contest  the  palm  of  antiquity : 
for  they  also  produce  two  Tablets,  containing  privileges 
granted  at  a  remote  period ;  of  which  they  presented  to 
me  a  Hebrew  translation.  As  no  person  can  be  found  in 
this  country  who  is  able  to  translate  the  Christian 
Tablets,  I  have  directed  an  engraver  at  Cochin  to  execute 
on  copper-plates  a  fac  simile  of  the  whole,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  transmitting  copies  to  the  learned  Societies  in 
Asia  and  Europe.  The  Christian  and  Jewish  plates  toge- 
ther make  fourteen  pages.    A  copy  was  sent  in  the  first 


1 4'2  CI)rfettan  Eesearcijei^ 

instance  to  the  Pundits  of  the  Shanscrit  College  it 
Trichiur,  by  direction  of  the  Rajah  of  Cochin  ;  but^they 
could  not  read  the  character.* — From  this  place  I 
•proceed  to  Cande-nad,  to  v^isit  the  Bishop  once  more 
before  I  return  to  Bengal/ 


THE  MALABAR  BIBLE. 

After  the  Author  left  Travancore,  the  Bishop 
prosecuted  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  Malabar  Language  without  intermission, 
until  he  had  completed  the  New  Testament. 
The  year  following,  the  Author  visited  Travan- 
core a  second  time,  and  carried  the  Manuscript 
to  Bombay  to  be  printed,  an  excellent  fount  of 
Malabar  types  having  been  recently  cast  at  that 
place.  Learned  natives  went  from  Travancore 
to  superintend  the  press ;  and  it  is  probable 
that  it  is  now  nearly  finished^  as  a  copy  of  the 
Gospels  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark,    beau- 

*  Most  of  the  Manuscripts  which  I  collected  among  the 
Syrian  Christians,  I  have  presented  to  the  University  of  Cam- 
bridge :  and  they  are  now  deposited  in  the  Public  Library  of 
that  University,  together  with  the  copper-plate  fac-similes  of 
the  Christian  and  Jewish  Tablets. 


respecting  tlje  ^prians.  i43 

tifiilly  printed,  was  received  in  England  some 
time  ago.  This  version  of  the  Scriptures  will  be 
prosecuted  until  the  whole  Bible  is  completed, 
and  copies  circulated  throughout  the  Christian 
leo-ions  of  Malabar.* 

9 


THE  SYRIAC  BIBLE. 

It  has  been  further  in  contemplation  to  print 


*  The  Author  received  from  the  Syrian  Christians  the  name* 
•f  several  Christian  churches  in  Mesopotamia  and  Syria,  with 
\vhich  they  formerly  had  intercourse,  and  which  constitute  the 
remnant  of  the  ancient  church  of  Antioch.  These  have, 
for  the  most  part,  remained  in  a  tranquil  state  under  Maho- 
medan  dominion,  for  several  ages ;  and  the  Author  promised 
the  Syrian  Bishop  that  he  would  visit  them,  if  circumstances 
permitted.  For  this  purpose  fte  intended  to  have  returned  from 
India  to  Europe  by  a  route  over  land,  and  he  had  proceeded  as 
far  as  Bombay  for  that  purpose  ;  but  the  French  influence  at  the 
Court  of  Persia  at  that  time,  prevented  him.  He  has  it  now 
in  contemplation  to  make  a  voyage  from  England,  and  to  fulfil 
his  promise  if  practicable  }  the  relations  of  amity  subsisting 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  Porte  and  Persia  rendering  lite- 
rary researches  in  these  regions  more  easy  than  at  any  former 
period.  He  proposes  also  to  visit  Jerusalem  and  the  interior 
of  Palestine,  Greece,  and  the  Archipelago,  with  the  view  of 
investigating  subjects  connected  witli  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  the  extension  of  Christianity. 


144  Cljrfettan  iRes;eaitI)e£5 

an  edition  of  the  Syriac  Scriptures,  if  the  pub- 
lic should  countenance  the  design.  This  gift, 
it  may  be  presumed,  the  English  nation  will  be 
pleased  to  present  to  tire  Syrian  Christians.  We 
are  already  debtors  to  that  ancient  people.  They 
have  preserved  the  manuscripts  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  incorrupt,  during  a  long  series  of 
ages,  and  have  now  committed  them  into  our 
own  hands.  By  their  long  and  energetic  defence 
of  pure  doctrine  against  anti-christian  error, 
they  are  entitled  to  the  gratitude  and  thanks  of 
the  rest  of  the  Christian  world.  Further,  they 
have  preserved  to  this  day  the  language  in  which 
our  blessed  Lord  preached  to  men  the  glad 
tidings  of  Salvation.  Their  Scriptures,  their 
doctrine,  their  language,  in  short  their  very 
existence,  all  add  something  to  the  evidence  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity. 

The  motives  then  for  printing  an  edition  of 
the  Syriac  Bible  are  these  : 

1.  To  do  honour  to  the  language  which  w^as 
spoken  by  our  blessed  Saviour  when  upon  earth. 

2.  To  do  honour  to  that  ancient  Church, 
which  has  preserved  his  language  and  his  doc- 
trine. 

3.  As  the  means  of  perpetuating  the  true 
Faith  in  the  same  Church  for  ages  to  come. 

4.  As  the  means  of  preserving   the  pronun- 


ciation,  and  of  cultivating  the  Knowledge  oi'iha 
Syriac  Language  in  the  East  ;  and 

5.  As  the  means  of  reviving  the  knowledge  of 
the  Syriac  Language  in  our  own  nation. 

On  the  Author's  return  to  England,  he 
could  not  find  one  copy  of  the  Syriac  Bible 
in  a  separate  volume  for  sale  in  the  kingdom. 
He  wished  to  send  a  copy  to  the  Syrian  Bishop, 
as  an  earnest  of  more  when  an  edition  should  be 
printed. 

The  Syriac  Bible  is  wanted  not  only  by  the 
Churches  of  the  Syrian  Christians,  but  by  the 
still  more  numerous  Churches  of  the  Syro- 
Romish  Cinistians  in  Malabar,  and  by  tiie  Ncs- 
torian  and  Jaco])ite  Christians  in  Persia,  Arme- 
nia, andTartary,  who  also  use  the  Syriac  Lan-* 
scuaire. 


THE 

ROMISH  CHRISTLVNS  IN  LNTDIA. 

Is  every  age  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  there 
have  been  individuals,  of  an  enlightened  piety, 
who  derived  their  religion  not  from  **  tlie  com- 
mandments of  men,"  but  from  the  doctrines 
of  the  Bible.     There  arc  at  this  day,    in  liAix 


u6  C1)rts;tian  Kesearrijei^. 

and  in  England,  members  of  that  communion, 
who  deserve  the  aifection  and  respect  of  all  good 
men;  and  Mdiose  ctdtivated  minds  will  arraign 
the  corruptions  of  their  own  religion,  which 
the  Author  is  about  to  describe,  more  severely 
than  he  will  permit  himself  to  do.  He  is  in- 
deed prepared  to  speak  of  Roman  Catholics 
with  as  much  liberality  as  perhaps  any  Protes- 
tant has  ever  attempted  on  Christian  principles  ; 
for  he  is  acquainted  with  individuals,  whose 
unaffected  piety  he  considers  a  reproach  to  a 
great  body  of  Protestants,  even  of  the  strictest 
sort.  It  is  indeed  painful  to  say  any  thing 
which  may  seem  to  feeling  and  noble  minds  un- 
generous ;  but  those  enlightened  persons,  whose 
good  opinion  it  is  desirable  to  preserve,  will 
themselves  be  pleased  to  see  that  truth  is  not 
sacrificed  to  personal  respect,  or  to  a  spurious 
candour.  Their  own  Church  sets  an  example 
of  "  plainness  of  speech"  in  the  assertion  of 
those  tenets  which  it  profess,  some  of  which 
nuist  be  extremely  painful  to  the  feeling  of 
Protestants,  in  their  social  intercourse  with 
Catholics  ;  such  as,  *'That  there  is  no  salvation 
"out  of  the  pale  of  the  Romish  Church.'' 

This  exclusive  character  prevents  concord  and^ 
intimacy  between  Protestant  and  Catholic  fami- 
lies.    On  the  principles  of  infidelity  they  can  as- 


sociate  very  easily  ;  but  on  the  principles  of 
Religion,  the  Protestant  must  ever  be  on  the 
defensive;  for  the  Romish  Church  excommuni- 
cates him ;  and  although  he  must  hope  that 
^cm^  individuals  do  not  maintain  the  tenet,  yet 
Jiis  uncertainty  as  to  the  fact,  prevents  that 
cordiahty  which  he  desires.  Many  excellenf 
Catholics  suffer  unjustly  in  their  intercourse 
with' Protestants,  from  the  ancient  and  exchi- 
sive  articles  of  their  own  Church,  which  they 
themselves  neither  profess  nor  beHeve.  If  they 
will  only  intimate  to  their  Protestant  friends, 
that  rhey  renounce  the  exclusive  principle,  and 
that  they  profess  the  religion  of  the  Bible,  no 
moreseeuis  requisite  to  form  with  such  persons 
the  sincerest  friendship  on  Christian  principles. 

At  the  present  time  we  see  the  Romish  Re- 
ligion in  Europe  u'ltJiout  dominion  ;  and  hence  it 
is  viewed  by  the  n.ere  philosopher,  with  indif- 
ference or  contempt.  He  is  pleased  to  see,  that 
the  ^' seven  heads  and  the  ten  horns"  are  taken 
away  ;  and  thinks  nothing  of  the  *'  names  of 
/'  blasphemy."  But  in,  the  following  pages,  the 
Author  will  have  occasion  to  shew  what  Ron« 
is,  as  having  dominion  ;  and  possessing  it  too 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  British  Empire. 

In  passing  through  the  Romish  Provinces  lA 
the  East,  though  the  AuiJior  had  bffore   hear4 

I-  ^ 


148  Ctjiistian  Eeseatrijes* 

rtmch  of  the  Papal  corruptions,  he  certainly  did 
notexptct  to  see  Christianity  in  tlie  degraded 
state  in  which  he  found  it.     Of  the  Priests  it  may 
truly  be  said,   that  they  are,  in  general,    better 
acquainted  with  the  Veda  of  Brahma  than  with 
tlie  Gospel  of  Christ.     In  some  places    the  doc- 
trines of  both  are  blended.     At  Aughoor,  situa- 
ted between  Tritchinopoly  and  Madura,  he  visit- 
ed a  Christian  Church  and  saw  near  it,  (in  Oc- 
tober   i 806)  a  Tower  of  Juggernaut,    which  is 
employed  in  solemnizing  the  Christian  festivals. 
The  old    Priest  Josejjhus  accompanied  him    to 
the  spot,  and  while  he  surveyed  the  idolatrous  caF 
and   its  painted  figures-,  the   Priest  gave    him  a 
particular   account  of    tlie    various    ceremonies 
which    are    performed,    seemingly    unconscious 
himself  of  any  impropriety  in  them.     'J'be   Au- 
thor went  with  him  afterwards  into  tlie  Church, 
and  seeing  a  book  lying  on  tlie  altar,  opened  it ; 
but  the  Reader  may  judge  of  his  surprize,   wlien 
he   found  it  was  a  S\  riac   volume,  and   was   in- 
formed  that   the  Priest  himself  was  a  descend- 
ant of  the  Svrian   Christians,  and    belonp-ed   to 
what  is  now  Called  theSyro-Roman  Church,  the 
\\  hole  service  of  whicli  is  in  Syriac. — Thus,  by 
the  intervention    of  tlie    Papal    power,  are  the 
ceremonies  of  Moloch  consecrated  in  a  manner 
hy  the  sacred  Syriac  Language.     What  a  heavy 


responsiblity  lies  on  Rome,  for  liaving  tlius 
corrupted  and  degraded  that  pure  and  ancient 
Church ! 

While  tlie  Author  viewed  these  Christian  cor- 
ruptions in  different  phices,  and  in  (hffcrent 
forms,  he  was  always  referred  to  the  Inqui- 
sition at  Goa,.  as  the  fountiiin-hcad.  He  })ad 
long  cherished  the  hope,  tliat  he  should  be  iMc 
to  visit  Goa,  I)efore  he  left  India,  His  chief 
ol)jects  were  the  following: 
,  1.  To  ascertain  wliether  the  Inquisition  actu- 
allv  refused  to  recoo-nisc  the  Bible,  amon":  tlie 
Romisli  Churches  in  British  India. 

2.  To  in(|uire  into  the  state  and  jurisdiction 
of  the  Inquisition,  particularly  as  it  affected 
British  su])jects. 

3.  To  learn  what  was  the  system  of  education 
for  the  Priesthood  ;  and 

4.  To  examine  the  ancient  Church-libraries  in 
Goa,  wdiich  were  said  to  contain  all  the  books 
of  the  first  printing. 

He  will  select  from  his  journal,  in  this  place, 
chiefly  what  relates  to  the  Inquisition.  He  had 
learnt  from  every  quarter,  that  this  tribunal,  for- 
merly so  well  known  for  its  frecjucnt  burnings, 
fVas  still  in  operation,  though  under  some  re- 
striction as  to  the  publicity  of  its  proceedings; 
and   that    its  power  extended    to  tlie  ^'xtrcmc 


150  C|)i'fettan  IRegearclj^s* 

boLimlary  of  Hindostan.  That,  in  the  present 
eivilized  state  of  Christian  nations  in  Europe,  an 
Inquisition  should  exist  at  all  under  the-r  au- 
thority, appeared  strange;  hut  that  a  Papal  tri- 
bunal of  this  character  should  exist  under  the 
implied  toleration  and  countenance  of  the  Bri- 
tish Government;  that  Christians,  heing  suh- 
jects  of  the  British  Empire,  and  inhabiting  the 
British  territories,  should  he  amenable  to  its 
power  and  jurisdiction,  was  a  statement  which 
seemed  to  be  scarcely  credible;  but,  if  true,  a 
fact  which  demanded  the  most  public  and  solemn 
representation. 


*  Goa  ;  Convent  of  the  AUgustinians, 
Jan,  23,  ]808. 

*  On  my  arrival  at  Goa,  I  was  received  into  the 
bouse  of  Captain  ScliuVler,  the  British  Resident.  The 
British  force  here  is  commanded  by  Colohel  Adams, 
of  His  Majesty's  78th  Regiment,  with  whom  I  was 
formerly   well   acquainted   in  Bengal.*        Next   day   I 


*  The  forts  in  the  harbour  of  Goa,  were  then  occupied  by 
British  troops  (two  Kiiig's  regiments,  and  two  regiments  of 
Native  infantry)  to  prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
French. 


>vas  introduced  by  these  gentlemen  to  the  Vice-Roy 
of  Goa,  the  Coimt  de  Cabral.  I  intimated  to  His 
Excellency  my  wish  to  sail  up  the  river  to  Old  Goa,* 
(where  the  Inquisition  is,)  to  which  he  politely  acceded. 
Major  Pareira^  of  the  Portuguese  establishment,  who 
was  present,  and  to  whom  I  had  letters  of  introduction 
from  Bengal,  offered  to  accompany  me  to  tlie  city,  and 
to  introduce  me  to  the  Archbishop  of  Goa,  the  Primate 
of  the  Orient. 

*  I  had  communicated  to  Colonel  Adams,  and  to  the 
British  Resident,  my  ])arpose  of  enquiring  into  the  state 
of  the  Inquisition.  Th^se  gentlemen  informed  me,  that 
I  should  not  be  able  to  accomplish  my  design  without 
ditliculty  ;  since  every  thing  relating  to  the  inqqisItiqiJi 
was  conducted  in  a  very  secret  manner,  the  most  :r.cSsp|iC;t- 
able  of  the  Lay  Portuguese  themsftives  being  ignomnt  pf 
its  proceedings  ;  and  that,  if  the  Priests  wepj  to  discove^- 
my  object,  their  excessive  jealousy  and  alarm  woultj 
prevent  their  communicating  with  me^  or  satisfying  iny 
inquiries  on  any  subject. 

'  On  receiving  this  intelligence,  I  perceived  tliAt  it 
would  be   necessary  to  proceed  with  caution.     I  was,  in 


*  There  is  Old  and  New  Goa,  The  old  city  is  about  eight 
miles  up  the  river.  The  Vice-Roy  and  the  chief  Portuguese 
inhabitants  reside  at  New  Goa,  which  is  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  within  the  forts  of  the  harbour.  The  old  city,  where 
(he  Inquisition  and  the  Cliiirches  are,  is  now  almost  entirely  de- 
seited  by  the  secular  Portuguese,  and  is  inhabited  by  the  Priest.s 
alone.  The  unheallhiness  of  the  place,  and  the  ascendancy  of 
the  Priests,  are  the  causes  assigned  for  abandoning  the  ancient 
city. 


352  Cl;mtian  laeseanljt^ 

fadt,  about  to  visit  a  republic  of  Priests,  wbosc  (loiTiIiiTori 
had  existed  for  nearly  three  eenturies  ;  whose  province  it 
was  to  prosecute  heretics,  and  particularly  the  teachers  of 
heresy;  and  from  whose  authority  and  sentence  there  was 
no  appeal  in  India.* 

'  It  happened  that  Lieutenant  Kempthorne,  Comman- 
der of  His  Majesty's  briir  Diana,  a  distant  connection  of 
my  own,  was  at  this  time  in  the  harbour.  On  his  learn- 
ing that  I  n)eant  to  visit  Old  Goa^  he  offered  to  accom- 
pany me;  as  did  Captain  Stirling,  of  His  Majesty's  84th 
regiment,  which  is  now  stationed  at  the  forts. 

'  We  proceeded  up  the  river  in  tlie  British  Resident's 
barge,  accompanied  by  Major  Pareira,  who  was  well 
qualified,  l)y  a  thirty  years'  residence,  to  give  information 
concerning  local  circumstances.  From  him  1  learned 
that  there  were  upwards  of  two  hundred  Churches  and 
Chapels  in  the  province  of  Goa,  and  upwards  of  two 
thousand  Priests. 

^  On  our  arrivai  at  tlie  city,t  it  was  past  twelve  o'clock: 


*  I  was  informed  that  the  Vice- Roy  of  Goa  has  no  authority 
over  the  Inquisition,  and  that  he  himself  is  liable  to  its  censure. 
Were  the  British  Government,  for  instance,  to  prefer  a  com- 
plaint against  the  Inquiskion  to  the  Portuguese  Government  at 
G:>a,  it  could  obtain  no  redress.  By  the  very  constitution  of 
the  Inquisition^  there  is  no  po.wer  in  India  which  can  invade  its 
jurisdiction,  or  even  put  a  question  toil  on  any  subject. 

t  We  entercLi  the  city  by  the  p^hicv'*  gate,  over  which  is  the 
Statue  of  Fasco  de  Gama,  who  first  opened  India  to  the  view  of 
Europe.  I  had  seen  at  Calicut,  a  few  weeks  before,  the  ruins 
of  the  Samorin's  P;\Iace,  in  which  Vasco  de  Gama  was  first 
received.    The  Samorin  was  the  first   native  Prince  against 


Clje  Eomisil)  Cl)ri5ttau5.  133 

all  the  Churches  were  shut,  and  we  were  told  that  tliey 
would  not  be  opened  again  till  two  o'clock.  I  mentioned 
to  Major  Pareira,  tliat  I  intended  to  stay  at  Old  Goa 
some  days  3  and  that  I  should  be  obliged  to  him  to  find 
me  a  place  to  sleep  in.  He  seemed  surprised  at  this 
intimation,  and  observed  that  it  would  be  difficult  for  me 
to  obtain  reception  i[i  any  of  the  Churches  or  Convents, 
and  that  there  were  no  private  houses  into  which  I  could 
be  admitted.  I  said  1  could  sleep  any  where  ;  I  had  two 
servants  with  me,  and  a  travelling  bed.  When  he  per- 
ceived that  I  was  serious  in  my  purpose,  he  g-ive  direc- 
tions to  a  civil  officer,  to  clear  out  a  room  in  a  building 
which  had  been  long  uninhabited,  and  wliich  was  then 
used  as  a  warehouse  for  goods.  Matters  at  this  time 
presented  a  very  gloomy  appearance  ;  and  1  had  tlioughts 
of  returning  with  my  companions  from  this  inhospitable 
place.  In  the  mean  time  we  sat  down  in  the  room  I  have 
just  mentioned,  to  take  some  refreshment,  while  Major 
Parcira  went  to  call  on  some  of  his  friends.  Duyng  this 
interval,  I  communicated  to  Lieutenant  Kempthornc  the 
object  of -my  vi  it.  I  had  in  my  pucket  '  Dellon's  Ac- 
count of  the  Inquisition  at  Goa^*  and  1    mentioned  some 


whom  the  Europeans  made  war.  The  empire  of  the  Samorin 
has  passed  away  j  and  tiie  empire  of  bis  conquerors  has  passed 
away  :  and  now  imperial  Britain  exercises  dominion.  JMay 
imperial  Britain  be  prepared  to  give  a  good  account  of  her 
stewardship,  when  it  shall  be  said  unto  her,  '*  Thou  raayest  be 
no  longer  steward  !" 

*  Monsieur  Dellon,  a  physician,  was  imprisoned  in  the  dun- 
geon of  the  Inquisition  at  Goa  for  two  years,  and  witnessed  an 


1 54  Cljristtan  Ee£{earcl)es. 

particulars.  While  wc  were  conversing  on  the  suhjecf,  the 
great  bell  began  to  toll ;  the  same  which  Dellon  observes 
always  tolls,  before  day-light,  on  the  morning  of  tkc 
Auto  da  F^.  I  did  not  myself  ask  any  questions  of  the 
people  concerning  the  Inquisition  ;  but  Mr.  Kempthorne 
made  inquiries  for  me :  and  he  soon  found  out  that  the 
Santa  Casa,  or  Holy  Office,  was  close  to  the  house 
t^'hcre  we  were  then  sitting.  The  gentlemen  went  to 
the  window  to  view  the  horrid  mansion;  and  I  could  seti 
the  indignation  of  free  and  enlightened  men  arise  in 
the  countenance  of  the  two  British  officers,  while  they 
contemplated  a  place  where  formerly  their  own  country- 
men were  condemned  to  the  flames,  and  into  which  they 
themselves  ^rnight  now  suddenly  be  thrown,  without  the 
possibility  of  rescue. 

^  At  two  o'clock  we  went  out  to  view  the  Churches, 
which  were  now  open  for  the  afternoon  service ;  for 
there  are  regular  daily  masses ;  and  the  bells  began  to 
assail  the  ear  in  every  quarter. 

*  The  magnificence  of  the  Churches  of  Goa,  far  ex- 
ceeded any  idea  I  had  formed  from  the  previous  descrip-» 
tion.  Goa  is  properly  a  city  of  Churches ;  and  the  wealth 
of  provinces  seem  to  have  been  expended  in  their  erec- 
tion. The  ancient  specimens  of  architecture  at  this 
place  far  excel  any  thing  that  has  been  attempted  in  mo- 
dern times  in  any  other  part  of  the  East,  both  in  gran- 
deur and  in  taste.     The   Chapel   of  the  Palace  is  built 


Auto  da  Fe,  when  some  heretics  were  burned  ;  at  which  he 
walked  barefoot.  After  his  release  he  wrote  the  history  of  his 
confinement.     His  descriptions  are  in  general  very  accurate. 


after  t!i^  plan  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  and  is  said  to  be 
V.  an  accurate  model  of  that  paragon  of  architecture.  The 
Church  of  St.  Dominic,  the  founder  of  the  Inquisition, 
is  decorated  with  paintings  of  Italian  masters.  St. 
Francis  Xavier  lies  enshrined  in  a  monument  of  exqui- 
site art,  and  his  coffin  is  enchased  with  silver  and  predoUs 
stones.  The  Cathedral  of  Goa  is  worthy  of  one  of  the 
principal  cities  of  Europp  1  and  the  Church  and  Convent 
of  the  Augustinians  (in  which  I  now  reside)  is  a  noble 
pile  of  building,  situated  on  an  eminence,  and  has  a 
magnificent  appearance  from  afar. 

'  But  what  a  contrast  to  all  this  grandeur  of  the  Churches 
is  the  worship  offered  within  !  I  have  been  present  at 
the  service  in  one  or  other  of  the  Chapels  every  day 
since  I  arrived ;  and  I  seldom  see  a  single  worshipper, 
but  the  ecclesiastics.  Two  rows  of  native  Priests, 
kneeling  in  order  before  the  altar,  clothed  in  coarse 
black  garments,  of  sickly  appearance,  and  vacant  coun- 
tenance, perform  here,  from  day  to  day,  their  laborious 
masses,  seemingly  uncoliscious  of  any  other  duty  or 
obligation  of  life. 

*  The  day  was  now  far  spent,  and  h\^  companion^ 
were  about  to  leave  me.  While  I  was  considering  whe- 
ther I  should  return  With  them.  Major  Pareira  said  he 
would  first  introduce  ir.c  to  a  Priest,  high  in  office,  ithiJ 
oti^  of  the  most  lednled  nien  in  the  place.  We  accord- 
ingly walked  to  the  Convent  of  the  Augustinians,  where 
I  was  presented  to  Joseph  a  Doloribus,  a  man  well 
advanced  in  life,  of  pale  visage  and  penetrating  eye, 
rather  of  a  reverend  appearance,  and  possessing  great 
fluiency  of  speech  and  urbanity  of  manners.  At  first 
sight  he  presented  the  aspect  of  one  of  those  acute  and 


156  Cl)rtotian  iae£;eai'cl)e£i. 

prudent  men  of  the  world,  tlie  learned  and  respectable. 
Italian  Jesuits,  some  of  wliom  are  yet  found,  since  the 
demolition  of   their  order,  reposing  in  tranquil  obscu- 
rity, in  different  parts  of  the  East.     After  half  an  hour's 
conversation    in  the  Latin    language,  during  vvhich   he 
adverted  rapidly  to   a  variety  of  subjects,  and"  enquired 
concerning  some  learned  men  of  hiv  own  Church,  wliom 
I  had  visited  in  my  tour,  he  politely  invited   me   to  take 
up  my  residence  wiiii  him,  during  my  stay  at  Old  Goa. 
I  was  highly  gratified  by  this  unexpected  invitation  ;  but 
Lieutenant  Kempthorne   did  not  approve  of  lea\Lng  me 
in  the  hands  of  the  Inquisitor.     For  judge  of  our  surprize, 
wheri  we  discovered  that  my  learned  host  was  one  of  the 
Inquisitors  of  the   Holy  OfBce,  the   second  member  of 
that  august  tribunal    in   rank,    but   the  first  and   most 
active  agent  in  the  business  of  the  department.      Apart- 
ments were  assigned  to  me  In  the  College  adjoining  the 
Convent,  next  to  the  rooms   of  the  Inquisitor  himself  ; 
and  here  I  have  been  now  four  days  at  the  very  fountain 
head  of  information,  in   regard   to  those  subjects  whieli 
I  wished  to  investigate.     I  breakfast   and    dine  with  tlie 
Inquisitor  almost  every  day,  and  he  generally  i)asse5i  his 
evenings  in  my  apartment.     As  he  considers  my  enqui- 
ries to   be   chiefly  of  a   literary   nature,  lie  is   perfectly 
candid  and  communicative  on  all  subjects. 

^  Next  day  after  my  arrival,  I  was  introduced  by  my 
learned  conductor  to  the  Arcliblshop  of  Goa,  We  found 
him  reading  the  Latin  letters  of  St.  Francis  Xavier.  On 
my  adverting  to  the  long  duration  of  the  city  of  Goa, 
while  other  cities  of  Europeans  in  India  had  ;suifer,ti(l 
from  war  or  revolution,  tlie  Archbishop  observed^  lhH| 
the   preservation  of  Goa  uas  owing  to  the  prayers  p/.i>jt, 


Cf)e  Eomisit)  Cljristtans.  157 

t^rancis  Xavler.   The  inquisitor  looked  at  me  to  see  what 
I    thought  of    this    sentiment.       I   acknowledged   that 
Xavier  was  considered  by  the  learned  among  the  English 
to   have   been   a   great   man  :    what   he  wrote  himself, 
bespeaks  him  a  man  of  learnings  of  original  genius,  and 
great  fortitude  of  mind  ;  but  what   others  have   written 
for  him,  and  of  him,  tarnished  his  fame,  by  making  him 
the  inventor  of  fables.      The   Archbishop  signified   his 
assent.      He   afterwards  conducted  me  into  his  private 
Chapel,  which   is   decorated  with  images  of  silver,  and 
then  into  the  Archiepiscopul  Library,  which  possesses  a 
valuable   collection  of  books. — As  I  passed  through  our 
Convent,  in  returning  from  tbe  Archbishop's,  I  observed 
among  the  paintings  in  the  cloisters,  a   portrait  of  the 
famous   Alexis  de  Menexcs.    Archblsbop  of   Goa,  who 
held  the  Synod  of  Diamper,   near  Cochin,  in  13IiD,  in  A 
burned  the  books   of  tbe  Syrian   Christians.     From   the 
inscription  underneatlv  I  learned  tbat  he  was  the  founder 
of  tbe  magnificent  Church  and  Convent  in  which  I  am 
now  residing.  -        , 

*  On  the  same  day  I  received  an  invitation  to  dine 
with  tbe  chief  Inquisitor,  at  his  house  in  the  country. 
The  second  Inquisitor  accompanied  me,  and  we  found  a 
respectable  company  of  Priests,  and  a  s\imptuous  enter- 
tainment. In  the  library  of  the  chief  Inquisitor  I  saw  a 
register,  containing  tlie  present  cstaldishment  of  tlie 
Iiujuisition  at  Goa,  and  tbe  names  of  all  the  officeis. 
On  my  asking  the  chief  Inquisitor  whether  the  establisii- 
ment  was  extensive  as  formerly,  he  said  it  was  nearly 
the  same.  I  bad  hitherto  said  Irttle  t(^  viiy  person  con^ 
cerning  the  Inquisition,  but  I  had  iiiciirectly  gleaned 
much  information   concerning:   it^    not    only    fn-'in    die 


1 5  8  Cl)rtstian  iRmRvt\)m. 

Inquisitors  themselves,  but  from  certain  Priests,  whoip  | 
visited  at  their  respective  convents  ;  particularly  from  a 
Father  in  the  Fransciscan  Convent,  who  had  himself 
repeatedly  witnessed  an  Auto  da  Fe. 


'  Goa,  Augustinian  Convent ,  26th  Jan.  1808. 

'On  Sunday,  after  divine  service,  whicli  I  attended, 
we  looked  over  together  the  prayers  and  portions  of 
Scripture  for  the  day,  which  led  to  a  discussion  concern- 
ing some  of  the  doctrines  of  Christianity.  We  then 
read  tlie  third  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel,  in  the 
Latin  Vulgate.  I  asked  the  Inquisitor  whether  he 
believed  in  the  influence  in  tlie  spirit  there  spoken  of. 
He  distinctly  admitted  it;  conjointly  however  he  thought, 
in  some  obscure  sense,  with  water.  I  observed  that.-^ 
water  was  merely  an  emblem  of  the  purifying  effects  cf 
tlie  Spirit,  and  could  be  hut  Vsn  emblem.  We  next 
adverted  to  the  expression  of  St.  Jo]\n  in  his  first  Epis- 
tle ;  '  This  is  he  that  came  by  ivater  and  blood  :  even 
Jesus  Christ ;  not  by  water  only,  but  by  Wi.tcr  and 
blood  .-—blood  to  atone  for  sin,  and  water  to  purify  the 
heart ;  justification  and  sanctlficatlon  :  both  of  which 
were  expressed  at  the  same  moment  on  the  Cross.  The 
Inquisitor  was  pleased  with  tiie  subject.  By  an  easy 
transition  we  passed  to  the  importance  of  the  Bible  itself, 
to  illuminate  the  priests  and  people.  I  noticed  to 
him  that  after  looking  through  the  colleges  and 
'Schools,  there  appeared  to  nie  to  be  a  total  eclipse 
of  Scriptural  light.  He  acknowledged  that  reli- 
l^on   and  learning   were  truly  in  a  degraded  state. 1 


had  visited  the  theological  schools,  and  at  every  place  I 
expressed  my  surprize  to  the  tutors,  in  presence  of  the 
pupils,  at  the  absence  of  the  Bible,  and  almost  total 
want  of  reference  to  it.  They  pleaded  the  custom  of  the 
place,  and  the  scarcity  of  copies  of  the  book  itself. 
Some  of  the  younger  Priests  came  to  me  aftei'wards, 
desiring  to  know  by  what  means  they  might  procure 
copies.  This  enquiry  for  Bibles  was  like  a  ray  of  hop^ 
beaming  on  the  walls  of  the  Inquisition. 

^  I  pass  an  hour  sometimes  in  tlie  spacious  library  of 
the  Augustinian  Convent,  and  think  myself  suddenly 
transported  into  one  of  the  libraries  of  Cambridge. 
There  are  many  rare  volumes,  but  they  are  chiefly  theolo- 
gical, and  almost  all  of  the  sixteenth  century.  There 
are  few  classics  ;  and  I  have  not  yet  seen  one  copy  of  the 
4»rigioal  Scriptures  in  Hebrew  or  Greek.* 


*  Goa,  Augustinian  Convent,  2'JthJan,  1808. 

*  On  the  second  morning  after  my  arrival,  i  was' 
surprised  by  my  host,  the  Inquisitor,  coming  into  my 
apartment  clothed  in  black  robes  from  head  to  foot  :  for 
the  usual  dress  of  his  order  Is  white.  He  said  he  was 
going  to  sit  on  the  Tribunal  of  the  Holy  Office.'  ^I 
presume,  Father,  your  august  Office  does  not  occupy 
much  of  your  time  ?'  ^  Yes,'  answered  he,  '  much.  I  sit 
©n  the  Tribunal  three  or  four  days  every  week.' 

'  I  had  thought,  for  some  days,  of  putting  Dellon's 
book  into  the  Inquisitor's  hands  ;  for  if  I  could  get  him 
to  advert  to  tlie  facts  stated  in  that  book.  1  should  be  ab!*' 


160  Cljrtstuin  laesiearrije^, 

to  learn,  by  comparison,  the  exact  state  of  the  Inquisitiort 
at  the  present   time.     In   the  evening   he   came    in,  as 
usual,  to   pass   an  liour  in  my  apartment.     After    some 
conversation  I  took    the  pen  in  my  hand   to  write  a  few 
notes  in  my  Journal:  and,  as   if  to  amuse   him,  while  I 
was  writing,  I  took  up  Del  Ion's  book,  which   was  lyintif 
with  some  others  on  the  table,  and  handing  it  across  to 
him,  asked  him  whether  he  had  ever  seen  it.     It  was    in 
the  French  Language,  which  he  understood  well.     '  Re- 
lation, deil'Inquisition  de  Goa,'  pronounced  he,  with  a 
slow  articulate  voice.     He   had  never  seen  it  before,  and 
began  to  rcjid  with   eagerness.     lie    had    not  proceeded 
far,  before  he  betrayed  evident  syiuptoms  of  uneasiness. 
He  turned  Iiastily  to  th-j  middle  of  the    book,  and  then 
to  the  end,  and  then  ran  over  the  table  of  contents  at  the 
beginning,  as  if  to  ascertain   the  full    extent  of  the  evil. 
He  thdn  composed  himself  to  read,  while  I  continued  to 
write.     He    turned   over   the    pages  with   rapidity,  and 
when  he  came  to  a  certain  place,    he  exclaimed,  in   tl>e 
broad   Italian   accent,  *  Mendaeium,  Mendacium/  Ire- 
quested  he  would  mark  those ])assages  Vvliloh  were  untrnc, 
and  we  should  discuss   them    afterwards,  for   that  I  had 
other  books  on  the  subject.     ^  Other  books,'  said  he,  and 
he  looked  with  an  enquiring  eye  on  those   on  the  table. 
He  continued  reading  till  it  was  time  to  retire  to  rest  and 
then  begged  to  take  the  book  with  him. 

'  It  was  on  this  niglit  that  a  circumstance  happened 
which  caused  my  first  alarm  at  Qoa.  My  servants  slept 
every  night  at  my  chamber  door,  in  the  long  gallery  whiel' 
is  e  -mmon  to  all  the  apartments,  and  not  far  distant 
from  th<^  servants  of  the  Convent.     About  midnight  1  rvcis   , 


Clje  iSamisI)  CI)rtsttans.         i6i 

waked  by  loud  shrieks  and  expressions  of  terror,  from 
some  person  in  the  gallery.  In  the  first  moment  of 
surprise  I  concluded  it  must  be  the  Alguazils  of  the  Holy 
Office,  seizing  my  servants  to  carry  them  to  the  Inquisi- 
tion. But,  on  going  out,  I  saw  my  own  servants 
standing  at  the  door,  and  the  person  who  had  caused  the 
alarm  (a  boy  of  about  fourteen)  at  a  little  distance, 
surrounded  by  some  of  the  Priests,  who  had  come  out  of 
their  cells  on  hearing  the  noise.  The  boy  said  he 
had  seen  3.  spectre,  and  It  was  a  considerable  time  before 
the  agitations  of  his  body  and  voice  subsided. — Next 
morning  at  breakfast  the  Inquisitor  apologised  for  the 
disturbance,  and  said  the  boy's  alarm  proceeded  from 
a  ^  phantasma  animi,'  a  phantasm  of  the  imagination.' 
'After  breakfast  we  resumed  the  subject  of  the 
Inquisition.  The  Inquisitor  admitted  that  Dellon's 
descriptions  of  the  dungeons,  of  the  torture,  of  the  mode 
of  trial,  and  of  the  Auto  da  Fe  were,  in  general,  just.; 
but  he  said  the  writer  judged  untruly  of  the  motives  of 
the  Inquisitors,  and  very  uncharitably  of  the  character  of 
the  Holy  Church ;  and  I  admitted  that,  under  the  pressure 
of  his  peculiar  suffering,  this  nright  possibly  be  the  case. 
The  Inquisitor  was  now  anxious  to  know  to  what  extent 
Dellon's  book  had  been  circulated  in  Europe.  I  told 
him  that  Picart  had  published  to  the  world  extract^  from 
it,  in  his  celebrated  work  called  '  Religious  Ceremonies,* 
together  with  plates  of  the  system  of  torture  and 
burnings  at  the  Auto  da  Fe.  I  added  that  it  wa5  now 
generally  believed  in  Europe  that  these  enormities  no 
longer  existed,  and  that  the  Inquisition  itself  has  been 
totally   suppressed  ;    but  that  I  was   conceri;ied  to  find 


M 


162  Cl)i:fetian  iaesearc!)es. 

that  tills  was  not  the  case.  He  now  began  a  grav^ 
narration  to  shew  that  the  Inquisition  had  undergone  a 
change  in  some  respects,  and  that  its  terrors  were 
mitigated.* 


*  The  following  were  the  passages  in  Mr.  Dellon's  narrative, 
to  which  I  wished  particularly  to  draw  the  attention  of  the 
Inquisitor. — Mr.  D.  had  been  thrown  into  the  Inquisition 
at  Goa,  and  confined  in  a  dungeon,  ten  feet  square,  where  he 
remainedupwardsof  two  years,  without  seeing  any  person,  but 
the  gaoler  who  brought  him  his  victuals,  except  when  he  was 
brought  to  his  trial,  expecting  daily  to  be  brought  to  the  stak^ 
His  alleged  crime  was,  charging  the  Inquisition  with  cruelty, 
in  a  conversation  he  had  with  a  Priest  at  Davian,  a  Portuguese 
town  in  another  part  of  India.' 

''  During  the  months  of  Norember  and  December,  I  heard 
every  morning  the  shrieks  of  the  unfortunate  victims,  who 
were  undergoing  the  Question.  I  remembered  to  have  heard, 
before  I  was  cast  into  prison,  that  the  Auto  da  Fd  was  gene- 
rally celebrated  on  the  first  Sunday  In  Advent,  because  on 
thrt  day  is  read  in  the  Churches  that  part  of  the  Gospel  in 
which  mention  is  made  of  the  last  judgment;  and  the 
Inquisitors  pretend  by  this  ceremony  to  exhibit  a  lively  emblem 
of  that  awfiil  event.  I  was  likewise  convinced  that  ther© 
were  a  great  number  of  prisoners,  besides,  myself ;  the  pro- 
found silence,  which  reigned  within  the  walls  of  the  building, 
having  enabled  me  to  count  the  number  of  doors  w,hich  were 
opened  at  the  hours  of  meals. — However,  the  first  and  second 
Sundays  of  Advent  pnssed  by,  without  my  hearing  of  any  things 
Jind  I  prepared  to  undergo  another  year  of  melancholy  capti- 
vity, when  I  was  aroused  from  my  despair  on  the  1 1th  of 
January,  by  the  noise  of  the  guards  removing  the  bars  from 
|he  door  of  my  prison.     The  Alcaide  presen  ted     me  with  alw- 


m)t  Komts!)  Cljristians.        \63 

'  I  had  already  discovered,  fro  in  written  or  printed 
documents,  that  the  Inquisition  of  Goa  was  suppressed 
by  Royal  Edict    in     the  year    1775,    and    establisJied 


bit,  which  he  ordered  me  to  put  on,  and  to  make  myself  ready 
to  attend  him  when  he  should  come  again.  Thus  saying,  he 
left  a  lighted  lamp  in  my  dungeon. — ^The  guards  returned, 
about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  led  me  out  into  a  long 
gallery,  where  I  found  a  number  of  the  companions  of  ray 
fate,  drawn  up  in  a  rank  against  a  wall :  I  placed  myself  among 
the  rest,  and  several  more  soon  joined  the  melancholy  band. 
The  profound  silence  and  stillness  caused  them  to  resemble 
statues  more  than  the  animated  bodies  of  human  creatures- 
The  women,  who  were  clothed  in  a  similar  manner,  were  placed 
in  a  neighbouring  gallery,  where  we  could  not  see  them  j  but 
I  remarked  that  a  number  of  persons  stood  by  themselves  at 
some  distance,  attended  by  others,  who  wore  long  black  dresses, 
and  who  walked  backwards  and  forwards  occasionally.  I  did 
not  then  know  who  these  were  :  but  I  was  afterwards  inform- 
ed that  the  former  were  the*  victims  who  were  condemned  to 
be  burned,  and  the  others  were  their  confessors. 

*'  After  we  were  all  ranged  against  the  wall  of  this  gallery, 
we  received  each  a  large  wax  taper.  They  then  brought  us  a 
number  of  dresses  made  of  yellow  cloth,  with  the  cross  of  St. 
Andrew  painted  before  and  behind.  This  is  called  the  San 
Benito.  The  relapsed  heretics  wear  another  species  of  robe, 
jcalled  the  Samarra,  the  ground  of  which  is  grey.  The  por- 
trait of  the  sufferer  is  painted  upon  it,  placed  upon  burning 
torches  with  flames  and  demons  all  round. — Caps  were  then 
produced  called  Carrochas  j  made  of  pasteboard,  pointed  like 
sugar  loaves,  all  covered  over  wirii  devils,  and  flames  of  fire. 

*'  The  great  bell  of  the  Cathedral  began  to  ring  a  little 
before  sun-rise,  which  served  as  a  sigfral  to  warn  the  people  of 

M   1* 


164  Cl)rt5tian  Kesearclje^. 

again  in  177-^-  The  Franciscan  Father  before  men- 
tioned witnessed  the  annual  Auto  da  Fe,  from  1770, 
to  1775 •     "  It  was  the  humanity,  and  tender  mercy  of 


Goa  to  come  and  behold  the  august  ceremony  of  the  Auto  da 
Fe  ;  and  then  they  made  us  proceed  from  the  gallery  one  by  one. 
I  remarked,  as  we  passed  into  the  great  hall,  that  the  Inqui'' 
sitor  was  sitting  at  the  door  with  his  secretary  by  him,  and  that 
he  delivered  every  prisoner  into  the  bands  of  a  particular  per-t 
son,  who  is  to  be  his  guard  to  the  place  of  burning.  These 
persons  are  called  Parrains,  or  Godfathers.  My  Godfather  was 
the  commander  of  a  ship.  I  went  forth  with  him,  and  as  soon 
as  we  were  in  the  street,  I  saw  that  the  procession  was  com« 
menced  by  the  Dominican  Friars  ;  who  have  this  honour,  be- 
'cause  St.  Dominic  founded  the  Inquisition.  These  are  followed 
by  the  prisoners  who  walked  one  after  the  other,  each  having 
his  Godfather  by  his  side,  and  a  lighted  taper  in  his  hand.  The 
least  guilty  go  foremost  j  and  as  I  did  not  pass  for  one  of  them, 
there  were  many  who  took  precedence  of  me.  The  women 
weVe  mixed  promiscuously  with  the  men.  We  all  walked 
bnrefoot,.  and  tlie  sharp  stones  of  the  streets  of  Goa  wounded 
my  tender  feet,  and  caused  the  blood  to  stream  :  for  they  made 
us  march  through  the  chief  streets  of  the  city  :  and  we  were; 
regarded  every  where  by  an  innumerable  crowd  of  people, 
who  had  assembled  from  all  parts  of  India  to  behold  this  spec- 
tacle ;"  for  the  Inquisition  takes  care  to  announce  it  long  before, 
in  the  most  remote  parishes.  At  length  we  arrived  at  the 
Uhurch  of  St.  Francis,  which  was,  for  this  lime,  destined  for 
the  celebration  of  the  Act  of  Faith.  On  one  side  of  the  Altar 
tS'as  the  Grand  Inquisitor^nd  his  Counsellors ;  and  on  the  other  . 
thfe'Vi^erc^r^tSf*  t^oa  and  his  Court.  All  the  prisoners  are  seated 
to-Heara  Sermon.  I  observed  that  those  prisoners  who  wor« 
\h^  horrU-lf  Carrochas  Came  in  last  in  the  processioH.     One  oT 


a  good  King,"  said  tlic  old  Fatlier,  "  whicli  abolished 
the  Inquisition."  But  immediately  on  his  death,  th«; 
power  of  the  Priests  acquired  the  ascendant,  under,  the 
Queen  Dowager,  and  the  Tribunal  was  re-establishe^l^ 
^^tev  a  bloodless  interval  of  five  years.     It  has  continued 


the  Augustin  Monks  ascended  the  pulpit,  and  preached  fo 
a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The  sermon  being  concluded,  tv  o 
readers  went  up  to  the  pnlpit,  one  after  the  other,  and  rend 
the  sentences  of  the  prisoners.  My  joy  was  extreme  when  I 
heard  that  my  sentence  was  not  to  be  burnt  but  to  be  a  galley- 
sJave  for  five  years, — After  the  sentences  were  read,  they  sum- 
moned forth  those  miserable  victuns  who  were  tiestined  to  be 
immolated  by  the  Holy  Inquisition.  The  images  of  the  here- 
tics who  had  died  in  prison  were  brought  up  at  the  same  time, 
their  bones  being  contained  in  small  chests,  covered  with  flames 
and  demons. — An  officer  of  the  secular  tribunal  now  came 
forward,  and  seized  these  unhappy  people,  after  they  had 
each  received  a  slight  blow  upon  the  breast  from  the  Alcalde, 
to  intimate  that  they  were  abandoned.  They  were  then  led 
away  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  Vice-Roy  and  his 
Court  were  assembled,  and  were  the  faggots  had  been  prepared 
the  preceding  day. — As  soon  as  they  arrive  at  this  place,  the 
condemned  persons  are  asked  in  what  religion  they  chuse  to 
die  J  and  the  moment  they  have  replied  to  this  question ,  the 
executioner  seizes  them,  and  binds  them  to  a  stake  in  the 
midst  of  the  faggots.  The  day  after  the  execution,  the  por- 
traits of  the  dead  are  carried  to  the  Church  of  the  Dominicans. 
The  heads  only  are  represented,  (which  are  generally  very 
accurately  drawn  ;  for  the  Inquisition  keeps  excellent  limners 
for  the  purpose,)  surrounded  by  flames  and  demons 3  and 
underneath  is  the  name  and  crime  of  the  person  who  has  betn 
burned."     Rdation  del'Imjulsition  dc  Goa,  chap.  XXIV. 


iC6  Cljrfettan  me0earf|?e£^^ 

in  operation  ever  since.  It  was  restored  in  1779?  subject 
to  certain  restrictions,  the  chief  of  which  are  the  two 
following,  *  That  a  greater  number  of  witnesses  should  be 
repaired  to  convict  a  criminal  than  yere  before  neccssaryj' 
and..  ^  that  the  Auto  da  Fe  shouid  not  be  held  publicly  aS 
before ;  but  that  the  sentences  of  the  T?  ibunai  sliowld  be 
executed  privately,  withia  the  walls  of  the  inqnisitioipi.* 

'  In  this  particular,  the  constitution  oi  d.e  n^w  IiJiE|uisg[-; 
tion  is  more  reprehensible  thai*  that  of  tha  o!d  orie;  fwr, 
as  tbe  old  Father  expressed  h,  '  Nuac  si^  lUi^f;  non  reve- 
lat  Inquisitio/—- Formerly  tiae  friends  of  those  anfortonate 
persons  who  were  thrown  into  its  prison,  had  the  mclan-» 
eholy  satisfaction  of  seeing  thcni  once  a  year  walkiOg  in 
,the  procession  of  the  Auto  da  F^ ;  or  if  they  were  con- 
demned to  die,  they  witnessed  their  death,  and  JiiOttmed 
for  the  ^^Rfl.  But  now  they  have  no  means  of  learning 
for  years  whether  they  be  dead  or  alive.  The  polipy  of 
this  new  mode  of  concealment  appeaj-s  to  be  this,  to  pre- 
serve the  power  of  the  Inquisition,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  lessen  the  public  odium  of  its  proceedings,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  British  dominion  and  civilization.  I  asked  the 
Father  his  opinion  conccrnhig  the  nature  and  frequency 
of  the  punishments  within  the  walls.  He  said  he  pos- 
sessed no  certain  means  of  giving  a  satisfactory  answer ; 
that  eveiy  thing  transacted  there  was  declared  to  be 
^  sacrum  et  secretum.'  But  tins  he  knew  to  be  true,  that 
there  were  constantly  captives  in  the  dungeons ;  that 
some  of  them  are  liberated  after  long  confinement,  but 
that  they  nevef  speak  afterwards  of  what  passed  within 
tlic  place.  lie  added  that,  of  all  the  persons  he  had 
known,  who  had  been  liberated,  he  never  knew  one  who 


did  not  carry  about  Avith  him  what  might  be  called,  '  the 
mark  of  the  Inquisition  ;'  that  is  to  say,  who  did  not 
shew  in  the  solemnity  of  his  countenance,  or  in  his 
peculiar  demeanor,  or  his  terror  of  the  Priests,  that  he 
had  been  in  that  dreadful  place. 

'  The  chief  argument  of  the  Inquisitor  to  prove  tlie 
melioration  of  the  Inquisition  was  the  superior  humaniUj 
of  the  Inquisitors.  I  remarked  that  I  did  not  doubt  the 
humanity  of  the  existing  ofBcers }  but  wJiat  availed  huma- 
nity in  an  Inquisitor?  he  must  pronounce  sentence 
according  to  the  Laws  of  the  Tribunal,  which  are  notori- 
ous enough ;  and  a  relapsed  Heretic  must  be  burned  in  the 
flames,  or  confined  for  life  in  a  dungeon,  whether  the 
Inquisitor  be  humane  or  not.  '  But  if/  said  I,  *  you 
would  satisfy  iny  mind  completely  on  tliis  subject,  shew 
me  the  Inquisition.*  He  said  it  was  not  permitted  to  any 
person  to  sec  the  Inquisition.  I  observed  that  mine  might 
be  considered  as  a  peculiar  case ;  that  the  character  o^ 
the  Inquisition,  and  the  expediency  of  its  longer  con- 
tinuance had  been  called  in  question  -y  that  I  had  myself 
written  on  the  civilization  of  India,  and  might  possibly 
publish  something  more  upon  that  subject,  and  that  it 
could  not  be  expected  that  I  should  pass  over  the  Inqui- 
sition without  notice,  knowing  what  I  did  of  its  proceed- 
ings ;  at  the  same  tinie  I  should  not  wish  to  state  a  single 
fact  without  his  authority,  or  at  least  his  admission  of  its 
truth.  I  added  that  he  himself  had  been  pleased  to  com- 
municate with  me  very  fully  on  the  subject,  and  tliat  in 
ajl  our  discussions  we  had  both  been  actuated,  I  hoped, 
by  a  good  purpose.  The  countenance  of  the  Inquisitor 
evidently  allercd. on  receiving  this  intimation,  nor  did  it 


ever  after  wholly  regain  its  wonted  frankness  and  placi- 
dity. After  «ome  hesitation,  however,  he  said  he  would 
take  me  with  him  to  the  Inquisition  the  next  day.-— I 
was  a  good  deal  surprized  at  this  acquiescence  of  tlic 
Inquisitor,  but  I  did  not  know  what  was  in  his  mind.' 


*  Goa :  Augnsi'mian  Comment,  2Sth  January ,  1808. 

^  When  I  left  tlie  Forts  to  come  up  to  the  Inquisition, 
Colonel  Adams  desired  me  to  write  to  him ;  and  he  added 
half-way  between  jest  and  earnest,  "  If  I  do  not  hear  from 
"  you  in  three  days,  I  shall  march  down  the  78th  and 
^'  storm  the  Inquisition."  This  I  promised  to  do.  But, 
having  been  so  well  entertained  by  the  Inquisitor,  I  for- 
got my  promise.  Accordingly,  on  the  day  before  yester- 
day, I  was  surprised  by  a  visit  from  Major  Braamcamp 
Aid-de-Camp  to  His  Excellency  the  Vice-Roy,  bearing 
a  letter  from  Colonel  Adams,  and  a  message  from  the 
Vice-Roy,  proposing  that  I  sliould  return  "every  evening 
and  sleep  at  the  Forts,  on  account  of  the  imhealthiness  of 
Goa. 

'This  morning  after  breakfast  my  host  went  to  dress 
for  the  Holy  Ofiice,  and  soon  returned  in  his  inquisitorial 
robes.  He  said  he  would  go  half  an  hour  before  the 
usual  time  for  the  purpose  of  shewing  me  the  Inquisition. 
I  thought  that  his  countenance  was  more  severe  than 
liS  al;  and  that  his  attendants  were  not  so  civil  as 
before.  Tlie  truth  was,  the  mid}2lght  scene  was  stjil  on 
V  ni'nd.  The  Inquisition  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
.1  from  the  convent,  and  we  proceeded  thither  in  our 


Ct)e  iaomfel)  Clivfetians;^         m 

Manjeels,*  On  our  arrival  at  the  place,  the  Inquisitor 
said  to  me,  as  we  were  ascending  the  steps  of  tlie  outer 
stair,  that  he  hoped  I  should  be  satisfied  with  a  transient 
view  of  thp  Inquisition,  and  that  I  would  retire  whenever 
he  should  desire  it.  I  took  this  as  a  good  omen,  and 
followed  my  conductor  with  tolerable  confidence. 

^  He  led  me  first  to  the  Great  Hall  of  the  Inquisition. 
We  were  met  at  tke  door  by  a  number  of  well-dressed 
persons,  who,  I  afterwards  understood,  were  the  familiars, 
and  attendants  of  the  Holy  Office.  They  bowed  very 
low  to  the  Inquisitor,  and  looked  with  surprise  at  me. 
The  Great  Hall  is  the  place  in  which  the  prisoners  are 
marshalled  for  the  procession  of  the  Auto  da  Fe.  At  the 
procession  described  by  Dellon,  in  which  he  himself 
walked  barefoot,  clothed  with  the  painted  garment,  there 
were  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners.  I 
traversed  this  hall  for  some  time,  with  a  slow  step,  reflect- 
ing on  its  former  scenes,  the  Inquisitor  walking  by  my 
side  in  silence.  I  thought  of  the  fate  of  the  multitude 
of  my  fellow-creatures  who  had  passed  through  this 
place,  condemned  by  a  tribunal  of  their  fellow-sinners, 
tlieir  bodies  devoted  to  the  flames,  and  their  souls  to  per- 
dition. And  I  could  not  help  saying  to  him,  'Would 
not  the  Holy  Church  wish,  in  her  mercy,  to  have  those 


*  The  Manjeel  is  a  kind  of  Palankeen  common  at  Goa. 
It  is  merely  a  sea  cot  suspended  from  a  bamboo,  which  is 
borne  on  the  heads  of  four  men.  Sometimes  a  footman  runs 
before,  having  a  staff  in  his  hand,  to  which  are  attached  little 
bells  or  rings,  which  he  jingles  as  he  runs,  keeping  time  with 
the  motion  of  the  bearers. 


170  Cf)rfetCan  Ecseardje^f. 

souls  back  again,  that   she  might   allow  them  a  little 
further  probation?'    The  Inquisitor  answered  nothingv 
but  beckoned  me  to  go  with  him  to  a  door  at  one  end  of 
the  hall.     By  this  door  he  conducted  me  to  some  small 
rooms;  and  thence  to  the  spacious  apartments  of  the  chief 
Inquisitor.     Having  surveyed  these  he  brought  me  back 
again  to  the  Great  Hall ;  and  I  thought  he  seemed  now 
desirous   that  I  slrould  dej)ait.     '  Now,  Fatlier,"  said  I, 
*  lead  me  to  the  dtrngeofts  below;    I  want   to  see  the 
captives.' — *  No,*  said  he,  *  that  cannot  be.'— I  oow  be- 
gan to  suspect  that  it  had  l>een  in  the  mind  of  tiie  Is- 
qursitor,  from  tlie  beginning,  to  shew  me  only  a  certaia 
part  of  the  Inquisition,  in  the   hope  of  satisfying  my 
Inquiries  in  a  general  way.     I  luged  him  with  earnest- 
ness, but  he  steadily  resisted,  and  seemed  to  be  offended, 
or  rather  agitated   by  my  importunity.     I  intimated  to 
him  plainly,  that  the  only  way  to  do  justice  to  his  own 
assertions  and  arguments,  regarding  the  present  state  of 
the   Inquisition,   was  to  sl»ew  me  the  prisons  and  the 
captives.     I  should  then  describe  only  what  I  saw ;  but 
now  the  subject  was  left  in  awful  obscurity. — '  Lead  me 
down/  said  I,  '  to  tiic  inner  building  and  let  me  pass 
through  the  two   hundred   dungeons,   ten    feet   square, 
described  by  your  former  captives.     Let  me  count  the 
number  of  your  present  captives,  and  converse  with  them. 
I  want  to  see  if  there  be  any  subjects  of  the  British 
Government,  to  whom  we  owe  protection.     I  want  to  ask 
how  long  they  hai^e  been  here,  how  long  it  is  since  they 
belield  ihe  light  of, the  sun,  and  whether  they  ever  expect 
to  see  it  again.     Sliew  me  the  Chamber  of  Torture;  and 
declare  what  modes  of  execution,  or  of  puaislmient,  are 


Ci)e  JRomisl)  Cljrfetians.  171 

now  practised  within  the  walls  of  the  Inquisition,  in  lieu 

of  the  public  Auto  Ja  F^.     If,  after  all  that  has  passed, 

JPather,  you   resist  this  reasonable  request,   I   shall  be 

justified  in  believing,   that   you   are  afraid  of  exposing 

the  real   state  of  the  Inquisition   in   India.'     To  these 

observations  the  Inquisitor  made   no  reply  ;  but  seemed 

impatient  that  I  should  withdraw.     *  My  good  Father,' 

said   I,  '  I  am  about  to  take  my  leave  of  you,    and   to 

thank   you   for  your  hospitable  intentions,   (it  had  been 

before  understood  that  I  should  take  my  final  leave  at  the 

door  of  the  Inquisition,  after  having  seen  the  interior,) 

and  I  wish  always  to  preserve  on  my  mind  a  favourable 

sentiment  of  your  kindness  and  candour.     You   cannot, 

you  say,  shew  me  the  captives  and  the  dungeons ;  be  pleased 

then  merely  toanSwer  this  question ;  for  I  shall  believe  your 

word :— -How  many  prisoners  are  there  now  below,  in  the 

cells  of  the  Inquisition  ?'  The  Inquisitor  replied,  *  That  is 

a  question  which  I  cannot  answer.*     On  his  pronouncing 

these  words,    I  retired  hastily  towards  the  door,  and 

wished  him  farewell.     We  shook  hands  with  as  much 

cordiality  as  we  could  at  the  moment  assume  ;  and  both 

of  us,  I  believe,  were  sorry  that  our  parting  took  place 

with  a  clouded  countenance.  • 

^  From  the  Inquisition  I  went  to  the  place  of  burning 
in  the  Camp  Santo  Lazaro^  on  the  river  side,  where  the 
victims  were  brouglit  to  the  stake  at  the  Auto  da  Fe. 
It  is  close  to  the  Palace,  that  the  Vice-Roy  and  his 
Court  may  witness  the  execution  ;  for  it  has  ever  been 
tlie  policy  of  the  Inquisition  to  make  these  spiritual 
executions  appear  to  be  the  executions  of  the  State. 
An   old  Priest  accompanied  me,  who  pointed  out  the 


1 72  Cj)rfetian  ISeseardjes?. 

place,  and  described  the  scene.  As  I  passed  over  this 
inelaDclioly  plain,  I  thought  on  the  difference  between 
'the  pure  and  benign  doctrine,  whicli  was  first  preached 
to  India  in  the  Apostolic  age,  and  tliat  bloody  code, 
which,  after  a  long  night  of  darkness,  was  announced 
to  it  under  the  same  name  !  And  I  pondered  on  the 
mysterious  dispensation,  which  permitted  the  ministers 
of  the  Inquisition,  with  their  racks  and  flames,  "to  visit 
these  lands,  before  the  heralds  of  the  Gospel  of  Peace. 
But  the  most  painful  reflection  was,  that  tin's  tribunal 
should  yet  exist,  unawed  by  the  vicinity  of  British  hu- 
manity and  dominion.  I  was  not  satisfied  with  what 
I  had  seen  or  said  at  the  Inquisition,  and  I  determined 
to  go  back  again.  The  Inquisitors  w^ere  now  sitting  on 
the  tribunal,  and  I  had  some  excuse  for  returning;  for 
I  was  to  receive  from  the  chief  Inquisitor  a  letter,  which 
he  said  he  would  give  me  before  I  left  the  place,  for  the 
British  Resident  in  Travancore,*  being  an  answer  to  a 
letter  from  that  officer. 

'  When  I  arrived  at  the  Inquisition,  and  had  ascended 
the  outer  stairs,  the  door-keepers  surveyed  me  doubt- 
ingly,  but  suffered  me  to  pass,  supposing  that  I  had 
returned  by  permission  and  appointment  of  the  Inqui- 
sitor. I  entered  the  Great  Hall,  and  went  up  directly 
towards  the  tribunal  of  the  Inquisition,  described  by 
Dellon,  in  which  is  the  lofty  Crucifix.  I  sat  down  on  a 
form,  and  wrote  some  notes,  and  then  desired  one  of 
tlie  attendants  to  carry  in  my  name  to  the  Inquisitor. 
As  I  walked  up  the  Hall,  I  saw  a  poor  woman  sitting  by 

*  Colonel  Macaulay,  who  is  now  in  England. 


herself,  on  a  bench  by  the  wall,  apparently  in  a  discon- 
solate state  of  mind.  She  clasped  her  hands  as  I  passed, 
and  gave  me  a  look  expressive  of  her  distress.  This 
sight  chilled  my  spirits^  The  familiars  told  me  she  w^ 
waiting  there  to  be  called  up  before  the  tribunal  of  the 
Inquisition.  While  I  was  asking  questions  concerning 
her  crime,  the  second  Inquisitor  came  out  in  evident 
trepidation,  and  was  about  to  complain  of  the  intrusion ; 
when  I  informed  him  I  had  come  back  for  the  letter 
from  the  chief  Inquisitor.  He  said  it  should  be  sent 
after  me  to  Goa ;  and  he  conducted  me  with  a  quick 
step  towards  the  door.  As  we  passed  the  poor  woman 
I  pointed  to  her,  and  said  to  him  with  some  emphasis, 
*  Behold,  Father,  another  victim  of  the  holy  Inquisition  1* 
He  answered  nothing.  When  we  arrived  at  the  head  of 
i\ie  ^reat  stair,  he  bowed,  and  I  took  my  last  leave  of 
.Joscphlis  a  D6toribus,  without  utteiing  a  word. 


It  will  be  well  understood  for  what  purpose 
the  foregoing  particulars  concerning  the  Inqui- 
sition at  Goa,  are  rehearsed  in  the  ears  of  the 
British  nation.  *'  The  Romans/'  says  Montes- 
quieu, "  deserve  well  of  human  nature,  for 
'*  making  it  an  article  in  their  treaty  with  the 
Carthaginians,  that  they  should  abstain  from 
**  SACRIFICING  their  children  to  their  Gods." 
It  has  been  observed  by  respectable  writers, 
that  the  English  nation  ought  to  imitate  tins 
example,  and  endeavour  to  induce  her  allies  "to 


174!  Ci^risttarx  EesearcijeSi 

abolish  the  human  sacrifices  of  "  the  Inquisi- 
tion ;"  and  a  censure  has  been  passed  on  our 
Government  for  its  indiiference  to  this  subject.* 
The  difference  to  the  Inquisition  is  attribut- 
able, we  believe,  to  the  same  cause  which  has 
produced  an  indiiference  to  the  religious  princi- 
ples which  first  organized  the  Inquisition,  The 
mighty  despot,  who  suppressed  the  Inquisition 
in  Spain,  was  not  swayed  probably  by  very 
powerful  motives  of  humanity ;  but  viewed  with 
jealousy  a  tribunal,  which  usurped  an  indepen- 
dent dominion;  and  he  put  it  down,  on  the 
same  principle  that  he  put  down  the  Popedom, 
that  he  might  remain  Pontiff  and  Grand  Inqui- 
sitor himself.  And  so  he  will  remain  for  a  time, 
till  the  purposes  of  J^rovidence  shall  have  been 
accomplished  by  him.  Bat  are  we  to  look  on  in 
silence,  and  to  expect  that  further  meliorations  in 
human  society  are  to  be  affected  by  despotism,  or 
by  great  revolutions  ?  "  If,"  say  the  same  authors, 
*'  while  the  Inquisition  is  destroyed  in  Europe 
"by  the  power  of  despotism,  we  could  entertain 
"  the  hope,  and  it  is  not  too  nmch  to  entertain 
"  such  a  hope,  that  the  powerof  liberty  is  about  to 
"  destroy  it   in  America,  we  might,  even  amid 


Edin.  Rev.  No.  XXXII.  p.  449. 


"  tlie  gloom  that  surrounds  us,  congratulate  our 
*'  fellow-creatures  on  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
"  periods  in  the  history  of  the  progress  of  human 
^^  society,  the  final  erasure  of  the  Inquisition 
^^  from  the  face  of  the  earthr^  It  will  indeed  be 
an  important  and  happy  day  to  the  earth,  when 
this  final  erasure  shall  take  place ;  but  the  period 
of  such  an  event  is  nearer,  \xt  apprehend,  in 
Europe  and  America,  that  it  is  in  Asia;  and  its 
termination  in  Asia  depends  as  much  on  Great 
Britain  as  on  Portugal.  And  shall  not  Great 
Britain  do  her  part  to  hasten  this  desirable  time ! 
Do  we  wait,  as  if  to  see  whether  the  power  of 
Infidelity  will  abolish  the  other  Inquisitions  of 
the  earth  ?  Shall  not  we,  in  the  mean  while, 
attempt  to  do  something,  on  Christian  princi- 
ples, for  the  honour  of  God  and  of  humanity  ? 
Do  we  dread  even  to  express  a  sentiment  on  the 
subject  in  our  legislative  Assemblies,  or  to  notice 
it  in  our  Treaties?  It  is  surely  our  duty  to  de- 
clare our  wishes,  at  least,  for  the  abolition  of 
these  inhuman  tribunals,  (since  we  take  an  ac* 
tive  part  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  other 
nations,)  and  to  deliver  our  testimony  against 
them  in  the  presence  of  Europe. 

This  case  is  not  unlike  tliat  of  the  Immolation 

^  Ibid.  p.  429. 


176  Ci)rfettan  Eeseacdjes. 

of  Females  in  Bengal :  with  this  aggravation  iu 
regard  to  that  atrocity,  that  the  rite  is  perpetrat- 
ed in  our  own  territories.  Our  humanity  in  Eng- 
land revolts  at  the  occasional  description  of  the 
enm'mity  ;  but  the  ipatter  comes  not  to  our  own 
business  and  bosoms,  and  we  fail  even  to  insi- 
nuate our  disapprobation  of  the  deed.  It  may  be 
concluded  then,  that  while  we  remain  silent  and 
unmoved  spectators  of  the  flames  of  the  Widow's 
Pile,  there  is  no  hope  that  we  should  be  justly 
affected  by  the  reported  horrors  of  the  Inqui- 
sition. 


TIIANSLATION    OF    THE   SCRIPTURES 
FOR  THE  ROMISH  CHRISTIANS. 

The  principal  languages  spoken  by  the  Romish 
Christians  in  India  are  these  four :  the  Tamul, 
the  Malabar,  the  Ccylonese,  and  the  Portuguese. 
We  have  already  had  occasion  to  notice  the 
three  first,  The  Tamul  version  has  been  long 
since  completed  by  the  Protestant  Missionaries; 
and  the  Malabar  and  the  Ceylonese  are  in  course 
of  publication. — It  is  now   proper   ta  explain 


that  excellent  effects  may  be  expected  from  the 
diffusion  of  the  Portuguese  Scriptures  in  India. 
The  Portuguese    Language    prevails    wherever 
there  are,  or  have  been,  settlements  oj^"  that  nation. 
Their   descendants  people  the  coasts  from  the 
vicinity    of   the   Cape   of   Good    Hope^to  the 
Sea  of  China;  beginning   from    Sofala,   Moca- 
ranga,  Mosambique,  (where  there  is  a  Bisiiop,) 
Zinzebar,     and     Melinda,      (where    there     are 
many  churches,)  on   tlie  east  of   Africa;    and 
extending  round  by  Babelmandel,    Diu,   Surat, 
Daman,  Bombay,  Goa,  Calicut,  Cochin,  Angen- 
go,    Tutecorin,    Negapatam,  Jaffnanatain,    Co- 
1  urn  bo,     Point     de    Galle,    Trail  cjuebar,     Tan- 
jore.  Tritchinopoly,   Porto-Novo,   Pondicherry, 
Sadras,  Madras    Masulipatam,  Calcutta,    Chin- 
surah,  Bandel,  Chittagong,  Macao  and  Canton ; 
and  almost  all  the  islands  of  the  IMalayan  Archi- 
pelago, which  were  first  conquered  by  the  Por- 
tuguese.    The  greater   part  of  the    Portuguese 
in   India,   are  now  subjects  of  the  British  Em- 
pire.    The  Author  visited  most  of    the  places 
above  enumerated ;    and  in   many  of  them  he 
qould  not  hear  of  a  single  copy  of  the  Portu- 
guese Scriptures.     There  is  a  Portuguese  Press 
at   Tranquebar,    and    another   at   Vepery   near 
Mmdras ;  and  pecuniary  aid  only  is  wanted  from 
Europe  to  multiply  copies,  and  to  (Circulate  them 


178  Cl)rt£;tiau  Eeseaucftes 

round  the  coasts  of  Asia.  The  Portuguese  Lan- 
guage is  certainly  a  most  favourable  medium  for 
diffusing  tlie  true  religion  in  the  maritime  pro- 
vinces of  the  East. 


THE  COLLEGES  AT  GOA. 

GoA  will  probably  remain  the  theological  school 
to  a  great  part  of  India,  for  a  long  period  to 
come.  It  is  of  vast  importance  to  the  inte- 
rests of  Christianity  in  the  East,  that  this 
source  oF  instruction  should  be  purified.  The 
appointed  instrument  for  effecting  this,  is  the 
Bible.  This  is  ''  the  salt  which  must  be  thrown 
*^  into  the  fountain  to  heal  the  waters."  2  Kings 
ii.  21.  There  are  upwards  of  three  thousand 
Priests  belonging  to  Goa,  who  are  resident  at 
the  place,  or  stationed  with  their  cures  at  a 
distance.  Let  us  send  the  holy  Scriptures  to 
illuminate  the  Priests  of  Goa.  It  was  dis- 
tinctl}^  expressed  to  the  Author,  by  several 
authorities,  that  they  will  gladly  receive  copies 
of  the  Latin  and  Portuguese  Vulgate  Bible 
.Vom  xha-  hands  of  the  English  nation. 


ttspectmij  tlje  pers^ians.  179 


THE    PERSIANS. 

The  Christian  Religion  flourished  very  gene- 
rally in  Persia  till  about  a.  d.  651  ;  when,  the 
Persians  being  subdued  by  the  Saracens,  Maho- 
niedanism  gradually  acquired  the  predominance. 
Constantine  the  Great,  addressed  a  letter  to 
Sapor,  King  of  Persia,  which  is  j)reserved  to  this 
day,  (in  Eusebius)  recommending  the  Christian 
Churches  in  his  dominions  to  his  protection  ; 
and  a  Bishop  from  Persia  was  present  at  the 
Council  of  Nice,  in  a.  d.  39.5.  It  appears  also 
that  there  was  a  translation  of  some  portion  of 
the  Scriptures  into  the  Persian  language  at  that 
period  ;  for  we  are  informed  by  Chrysostorn, 
that  "  the  Persians,  having  translate<l  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel  into  their  own  tongue,  had 
learned,  though  barbarians,  the  true  philosophy  ;"* 
and  it  is  stated  by  another  author  in  the  follow- 
ing century,  "  That  the  Hebrew  writings  were 
not  "  only  translated  into  the  Grpek,  but  into 
the  Latin,  Ethiopian,  Persicuu  Indian,  Armenian, 
Scythian,  and  Sarmatian  Languages."! 


*  Chrysostorn,  Horn,  II.  in  Johan. 

f  Theodoret,  vol.  iv.  p.  555.     We  b^ve  entirely  lost  sight  of 
some  of  these  versions  in  the  obscurity  of  Mahprnedan  dark- 


180  Cljrtstian  Keseattljeis. 

In  the  beautiful  homily  of  Chrysostoni  on 
Mary's  Memorial,  preached  about  a.  d.  380,  in 
wliich  he  enumerates  those  nations,  who,  in 
fuliihnent  of  our  Saviour's  prophecy,  had  *'  spo- 
*^  ken  of  the  deed  of  Mary  for  a  memorial  of 
"  her,"  he  mentions  the  Persians  first,  and  the 
Isles  of  Britain  last.  *'  The  Persians,"  says  he, 
'^  the  Indians,  Scythians,  Thracians,  Sarmatians, 
*•  tiie  race  of  the  Moors,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
*'  the  British  Isles,  celebrate  a  deed  performed  in 
"  a  private  family  in  Judea,  by  a  woman  that  had 
*'  been  a  sinner."*  He  alludes  to  her  pouring 
an  alabaster  box  of  spikenard  on  the  head  of 
Christ,  therel)y  acknowledging  him,  while  yet 
upon  earth,  as  God's  anointed  King,  and 
embalming  his  body,  (as  our  Lord  himself  ex- 
plained  it)  in  anticipation  of  his  burial.     Con- 


ness.  It  is  not  even  known  what  languages  are  intended  by 
the  Scythian,  Indian,  and  Sarmatian,  The  Christian  Church 
must  now  retrace  her  steps,  and  endeavour  to  recover  a  know- 
ledge which  she  has  lost, 

•*   A?^?^«»   x«»    lls^a-xi    KXi  hoot   kcci   'Zy.vQou  xxi  ©^xxbs  y.Xi   Hav^a- 

To  gy    la^xicc  ysvojj.evov    /\aG^a^    £V   oi>tioi  tsu^cc   yvvuixo^    'CTeTro^vEv/AEvc?, 

The  argument  of  Chrysostoni  is  this,  that  nothing  could 
have  given  so  permanent  a  celebrity  to  so  private  an  occurrence^ 
but  the  Divine  Word  of  Him  who  foretold  it. 


respecting  tlje  Persians*  isi 

cerning  which  act  of  faith  and  love  our  Sa- 
viour uttered  the  following  prophetic  declara- 
tion .  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever 
"  this  Gospel  shall  be  preached  throughout  the 
'*  whole  world,  this  ai^so  that  she  hath  done 
*'  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her." 
Mark  xiv.  9. — The  Isles  of  Britain  who  were 
last  in  the  above  enumeration,  are  now  the^r^^ 
to  restoj-e  this  memorial  to  the  Persians  as  well 
as  to  other  Mahomedan  nations,  who  w^ere  to 
lose  it  generally,  during  the  great  prophetic 
period  of  1260  years. 

A  ver^on  of  the  four  Gospels,  and  of  the 
Pentateuch  in  the  Persisn  Language  of  a  former 
age  remains  to  this  day.  It  is  a  faithful  trans- 
lation, and  seems  to  have  been  made  immediately 
from  the  Syriac;*  but  the  dialect  and  orthogra- 
phy are  so  ancient  as  to  be  scarcely  intelligible 
even  at  Ispahan.  The  Romish  Church  has  had 
several  Missions  in  the  kingdom  of  Persia  for 
some  centuries  past.  The  Augustinian  Mission 
from  Goa  commenced  in  the  year  16'02,  ^'  and 
'^  was  permitted  by  Sultan  Murad  to  build  con- 
"  vents  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire. "f  But  they 
went  into   Persia,  as  into  other   countries,  not 

*  This  is  the  version  of  the  Polyglot. 
f  Fabricii  Lux  Evang.  p.  639. 


182  Cfjmttan  Kesearcljes 

with  the  design  of  instnicting  men  in  the  holy 
sbriptures,  but  of  teaching  them  the  tenets  and 
ceremonies  of  Rome.  To  this  day,  they  have 
not  }3ubhshed,  under  all  the  advantages  of  tolera- 
tion which  they  enjoyed,  a  translation  of  the 
Bible,  or  even  of  the  New  Testament,  into  the 
Persian  Language. 

It  is  a  reproach  to  Christians  that  the  only 
endeavour  to  prockice  a  version  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  tlie  language  of  that  extensive  king- 
dom should  have  been  made  by  the  Persians 
themselves.  The  representatives  of  the  Chris- 
tian Churches  in  Europe  of  every  denomination, 
may  well  bkish,  when  they  read  the  following 
authentic  relation  of  an  attempt  n^ade  by  a  Per- 
sian king  to  procure  a  knowledge  of  our  reli- 
gion. 

*' Towards  the  close  of  the  year  J  740,  Nadir 
^"'Shah  caused  a  translation  of  the  four  Eyan- 
*'  gelists  to  be  made  into  Persian. — The  affair 
'*  was  put  under  the  direction  of  Mirza  Mehdee, 
*'  a  man  of  some  learning,  who,  being  vested 
"  with  proper  authority  for  the  purpose,  sum- 
"  moned  several  Armenian  Bishops,  and  Priests, 
**  together  with  divers  Missionaries  of  the  Ro- 
''  mish  Church,  and  Persian  Mullahs,*  to  meet 

•*  Mahomedan  Priests. 


resperting  tl)t  jpersiang.  isj 

•  him  at  Ispciliau.  As  to  the  latter,  the  Malio- 
''  iiaeclan  Priests,  tliey  coukl  not  be  gainers, 
'*  since  the  change  of  religion,  if  any,  Avas  to 
'*  be  in  prejudice  of  Mahomcclanism.  Besides, 
•'*  Nadir's  conduct  towards  them  had  been  severe, 
*'  to  an  extreme  and  unprecedented  degree; 
''  many  of  them,  tlierefore,  gave  Mirza  Mehdee 
*^  large  bribes  to  excuse  their  absence.  Among 
'-  the  Christians  summoned  on  this  occasion, 
"  only  one  Romish  P/iest,  a  native  of  Persia, 
''  was  a  sufficient  master  of  the  language  to 
-'  enter  upon  a  work  of  so  critical  a  nature. 
'*  As  to  tlie  Armenian  Christians,  although  they 
'^  are  born  subjects  to  Persia,  and  intermixed 
•'  with  the  inhabitants,  yet  there  are  very  few 
^'  of  them  who  understand  the  language  funda- 
^'  mentally.  It  was  natural  to  expect,  that 
'^  jVIirza  Mehdee,  and  the  Persian  Mullahs, 
"•'  would  be  more  solicitous  to  please  Nadir,  and 
'^  to  support  the  credit  of  Mahomedanism,  than, 
"  to  divest  themselves  of  prejudices,  and  be- 
'^  come  masters  of  so  important  a  subject. 
^'  This  translation  was  dressed  up  with  all  the 
*'■'  glosses  which  the  fables  of  the  Koran  could 
''  warrant.  Their  chiefguide  was  an  6f«ae/z/^^;Y/Z?/c 
''  cmd  Persian  translation.  Father  de  Vignes,  a 
"  Romish  Priest,  was  also  employed  in  this 
"  work,  in  which  he  made  use  of  the  Vulgate 


1 84  Ct)il5t(au  Eesearcljes 

*'  edition.  They  were  but  six  months  in 
'^  completing  this  translation,  and  transcribing 
'^  several  fair  copies  of  it. 

"  In  May  following,  Mirza  Mehdee,  with 
"  the  Persian  Mullahs,  and  some  of  the  Chris- 
*^  tian  Priests,  set  out  from  Ispahan  for  the  Per- 
*'  sian  Court,  which  was  then  held  in  encamp- 
'^  ment  near  Teheran.  Nadir  received  them 
•'  with  some  marks  of  civility,  and  had  a  cur- 
"  sory  view  of  the  performance.  Some  part  of  it 
*'  was  read  to  him ;  on  which  occasion  he  made 
^'  several  ludicrous  remarks  on  the  mysterious 
**  parts  of  the  Christian  Religion ;  at  the  same 
^*  time  he  laughed  at  the  Jews,  and  turned  Ma- 
"  homed  and  Ali  equally  into  ridicule." — And 
after  some  expressions  of  levity,  intimating 
that  he  could  himself  make  a  better  religion 
than  any  that  had  yet  been  produced,  "  he 
"  dismissed  these  churchmen  and  translators 
**  with  some  small  presents  not  equal  in  value 
**  to  the  expense  of  the  journey."* 

This  version  of  the  Gospels,  prepared  by 
command  of  Nadir  Shall,  is  probably  the  same 
with  that  which  is  sometimes  found  in  the  hands 
of  the  Armenian  Priests  in  India.  A  copy  was 
lately  shewn  to  an  Oriental  scholar  in  Bengal,f 


*  Hanv/ay's  Travels.  f  Rev.  H.  Martyn. 


respecting  tlje  IPerst'ans.  is5 

who  observed,  'Mhat  if  this  was  the  same,  he 
^'  did  not' wonder  at  Nadir's  contempt  of  it." 

The  number  of  natives,  ah*eady  professing 
Christianity  in  Persia,  and  who  are  prepared  to 
receive  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  is  very 
cons  derable.  They  consist  of  four  or  five 
classes,  viz.  the  Georgian,  the  Armenian,  the 
Nestorian,  the  Jacobite,. and  the  Romish  Chris- 
tians. The  Georgiam  have  the  Bible  in  the 
Georgian  Language,  which  M^as  printed  at  Mos- 
cow in  1745;  but  the  language  is  not  so  gene- 
rally cultivated  among  the  higher  ranks  as 
the  Persian.  It  probably  bears  the  same  relation 
to  the  Persian,  which  the  Welsh  does  to 
the  English.  The  Ai^menians  have  a  version  of 
the  Bible  in  their  own  proper  tongue,  but  the 
copies  are  few  in  number.  The  Nestoriaii  and 
Jacobite  Christians  use  the  Syriac  Bible  ;  but  it 
is  yet  more  rare  than  the  Armenian.  There  are, 
besides,  multitudes  of  Jexvs  in  Persia,  who,  as 
well  as  these  different  classes  of  Christians,  com- 
monly speak  the  vernacular  language  of  the 
country. 

The  Persian  Language  is  known  far  beyond 
the  limits  of  Persia  proper.  It  is  spoken  at  all 
the  Mussulman  Courts  in  India,  and  is  the  usual 
language  of  judicial  proceedings  under  the  Bri- 
tish  Government  in   Hindostan.     It  has  been 


186  €l}vMm  Eesearcljes 

called  *'  the  great  Eastern  language  of  corres- 
"  pondence  and  state  affairs;"*  and  is  to  be 
estimated  as  next  in  importance  to  the  Arabic 
and  Chinese,  in  regard  to  the  extent  of  territory 
through  which  it  is  spoken  ;  it  being  generally 
understood  from  Calcutta  to  Damascus. 

Here  then  is  a  language,  spoken  over  nearly 
one  quarter  of  the  globe,  the  proper  tongue  of 
a  great  kingdom,  in  which  an  attempt  has 
already  been  made  by  royal  authority  to  obtain 
a  translation  of  the  Christian  Scriptures;  and 
where  there  are,  at  a  low  computation,  two  huil- 
dred  thousand  Christians  ready  to^  receive  them. 
Many  of  the  Persians  themselves  would  read  the 
Bible  with  avidity,  if  presented  to  them  in  an 
inviting  form.  Tiie  cause  of  the  little  jealousy 
concerning  Christianity  in  Persia,  compared 
with  that  which  is  found  in  other  Mahomedan 
States,  is  to  be  ascribed  to  these  two  circum- 
stances ;  first,  That  Christianity  has  always 
existed  in  Persia  :  the  Christian  natives  forming 
a  considerable  part  of  the  populatioi> ;.  and  se- 
condly. That  the  Persians  themselves  profess 
so  lax  a  system  of  Islamism  that  they  have  been 
accounted  by  some  IMussulmans  a  kind  of 
heretics. 

It  will  form  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Persia, 

*  See  Richardson's  dissertation  on  the  Persian  Language. 


re<5pecting  tlje  Persians.         is? 

vvlien  a  version  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
shall  begin  to  be  knoM'n  generally  in  that  coun- 
try.    But  the  narrative  of  Nadir  Shah's  attempt 
sufficiently   proves   that  no  ordinary  scholar  is 
qualified  to  undertake  it.     The  author  of  such  a 
translation  must    be  a  perfect    master  of    the 
Arabic  Language,     the  mother  of   the  Persic, 
and  familiar  with  the  popular  and  classical  Per- 
sian,    He  must,  moreover,  have  access  to  the 
Scriptures   in  their   original   tongues.     Such  a 
person,  we  think,  has  been  found  in  Sabat  of 
Arabia,  who  is  accounted,  by  competent  judges, 
''  to  be  the  first  Arabic  scholar  of  the  age."*  He 
has  been  employed  for  nearly  four  years  past  in 
translating  the  Scriptures  into  the  Persian  and 
Arabic  Languages,  in  conjunction  with  Mirza 
Fitrut  of  Lucknow,  and    other  learned  natives. 
Mirza  is  himself  a  Persian  by  descent,   and  a 
man  of  liberal  learning  among  his  countrymen. 
He  visited  England   some  years  ago,  and  was 
afterwards  appointed  a  Persian  teacher,  and  a 
translator  of  the  Scriptures  in   the  College  of 
Fort-Wilham.     These    versions    by    Sabat  and 
Mirza,  are  conducted  under  the  syperintendance 
of  the  Rev.  Henry  Martyn,  who  is  himself  an 


*  See  Report  of  Translations  by  Rev.  Henry  Martyn,  here- 
after quote^l, 


188  €i)n3ttau  iResearcljes 

Arabic  and  Persian  scholar,  and  skilled  in  the 
original  tongues  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  He 
is  a  chaplain  to  the  Honourable  the  East  India 
Company,  and  is  now  stationed  at  Cawnpore  in 
Bengal,  where  his  learned  coadjutors  also  reside. 
The  Gospels  of  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke, 
translated  by  Sabat  into  the  Persian  Language, 
have  already  been  printed  :  and  800  copies  are 
stated  in  the  last  Report,  dated  May,  1810,  to 
have  been  deposited  in  the  Bibliotheca 
BiBLiCA,  at  Calcutta,  for  sale. 


THE  ARABL\NS. 

Arabia  was  the  country  in^  which  St.  Paul 
first  opened  his  heavenly  ministry.  '*  When  it 
pleased  God,"  saith  that  Apostle,  *'  who  called 
me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me,  that 
1  might  preach  him  among  the  heathen  ;  im- 
mediately I  conferred  not  \vith  flesh  and  blood  ; 
neither  went  I  up  to  Jerusalem,  but  I  went 
into  Arabia."  Gal.  i.  17.  Christianity  flou- 
rished very  extensively  in  Arabia,  during  the 
first  centuries.     History  informs  us,    that  "  the 


disciples  of  Christ  had  filled  its  provinces  with 
tlie  Churches  of  God;"^'  and  frequent  mention 
is  made,  in  the  early  monuments,,  of  the  Bishops 
of  Arabia.f  This  early  influence  of  the  Gospel 
in  that  region  might  be  expected,  for  Arabia 
adjoins  Palestine  ;  and  the  climate  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people, 
arc  nearly  the  same.;]: 

There  are  some  circumstances  which  remark- 
ably distinguish  Arabia;  a  recollection  of  which 
in  connexion  with  others,  ought  now  to  draw 
our  attention  to  it.  Arabia  and  the  neif>:hbourin<j: 
regions  were  inhabited  by  the  hrst  generations  of 
men.  There  it  pleased  the  Creator  first  to  reveal 
himself  to  his  creafures  ;  and  there  the  Son  of 
God  assumed  the  human  nature.  In  Arabia,  the 
faculties  of  the  human  mind  attain  to  as  high 
a  degree  of  strength  ^and   vigour,   even  at  this 


*  Qtov  yx^  Exv.A»3(ri&;v  ot  X^iJToy  (/.scQeroti  roc;  %wpa?  Tavrct^ 
■c'TThri^ucruv.     Procopious  Gaz.  Es.  XI.  14. 

f  See  them  enumerated  in  Beveridge's  Canones  Conciliorum. 
The  Bishop  of  Busnrah  was  present  at  the  Council  of  An- 
lloch  in  A.  D.  269. 

Being  neighbours  of    the  Jews,  it  was    likely   that  they 
should  first  receive  the  Gospel.     Proc.  ubi  supra. 


^90  Cljrtstian  IResearrijes 

day,*  as  in  any  other  country  in  the  world  ; 
and  the  symmetry  and  beauty  of  the  liunian 
person  in  Arabia  are  not  surpassed  by  any  other 
portion  of  the  human  race.f 


*  See  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Henry  Martyn,  concerning 
Sabat,  quoted  in  "' The  Star  in  the  East,"  p.  218.  *^'  At  in- 
tervals I  read  Persian  Poetry  with  Mirza,  and  the  Koran 
■with  Sabat.  These  Orientals,  with  whom  I  translate  the 
Scriptures,  require  me  to  point  oat  the  connexion  between 
every  two  sentences,  which  is  often  more  tlian  I  can  do.  It 
is  curious  how  accurately  they  observe  all  the  rules  of  writing. 
Sabat,  though  a  real  Christian,  has  not  lost  a  jot  of  his  Arabian 
notions  of  superiority.  He  looks  upon  Europeans  as  mush- 
rooms J  and  seems  to  regard  my  pretensions  to  any  learning, 
as  we  should  regard  those  of  a  savage  or  an  ape." — N.  B.  Mr. 
Martyn  was  Senior  Wrangler,,  or  first  Mathematician  of  his 
year,  at  Cambridge,  in  1801  j  and  he  had  now  been  two 
years  in  society  with  Sabat.  Of  course  he  used  these  ex- 
pressions concerning  Sabat  in  rather  a  vein  of  pleasantry  j  but 
they  will  intimate  that  he  respected  the  intellect  and  acquire- 
ments of  the  Arabian. 

t  An  intelligent  Arabian,  who  had  seen  the  English  in 
India,  observed  to  the  Author,  that  he  thpnght  the  minds 
of  the  English  far  superior  to  their  jtersons.  It  seemed  to 
him,  that  there  was  nothing  striking  or  noble  in  the  English 
countenance,  compared  with  the  dignity  and  beauty  of  the 
Arabians  ;  that  the  f^ices  were  in  general  flat  and  torpid,  and 
the  eyes  wilhont  fire.  The  Author  informed  iiim,  that  the 
English  were  compased  of  different  nations,  and  most  of  these 
from  cold  and  northern  climates  ;  that  hence  there  was  a 
great  diversity  in  their  appearance,  some  btMUg  of  very  ordinary 


vif^tttin^  t\)t  SSrabiang.  igi 

Arabia  is  also  remarkable  on  another  account. 
It  was  the  theatre  of  the  grand  defection  from 
Christianity,  by  the  Mahomcdan  delusion, 
which  was  to  extend  to  "  a  third  part  of  men." 
This  predicted  apostacy  was  to  be  effected,  not 
by  returning  to  Paganism,  but  by  a  corruption 
of  Christianity  :  that  is,  by  admitting  some 
part  of  the  fornier  revelation  of  God,  and  pre- 
tending to  a  new  revelation.  The  delusion 
itself  is  happily  compared  in  the  prophecy  con* 
cerning  it,  to  *'  smoke  issuing  from  the  bottomless 
^*  pit;"  and  its  great  extent  is  expressed  by  its 
*'  darkening  the  sun  and  the  air,''*  And  since 
this  defection  was  to  be  produced  by  a  corrup- 
tion of  revealed  Truth,  it  was  necessary  that 
the  Sc?iptures  should  be  first  corrupted  ;  for 
where  the  genuine  Scriptures  are  in  the  hands 
of  men,  there  is  little  danger  of  general  infide- 
lity. Accordingly,  this  preparative  for  the  great 
Imposture  took  place  in  the  fifth  and  sixth 
centuries.  During  that  period,  corrupt  and 
apocryphal  gospels  prevailed  so  generally  in 
Arabia,  and  in  the  neighbouring  regions,   that 


aspect,  and   others   of  a  dignity  and  beauty   which  even  an 
Arabian     would  admire.       He   smiled  at  this,  and  obfierved 
that  it  was  not  likely  that  the  Ddty  would   <:elect  so  remote, 
Hid  cold  a  legion  of  his  globe,  for  the  perf.cfian-oi  man. 
*  Key.  ix,2. 


192  Ct)rt5tiau  Eesearcl)e5 

it  is  even  doubtful  whether  Mahomed  himself 
ever  saw  a  genuine  copy  of  the  New  Testament* 
It  has  been  argued  by  learned  men,  from  the 
internal  evidence  of  his  composition,  that  he 
did  not.  But  now  even  the  Apocryphal  gospels 
have  vanished  from  view,  by  the  long  preva- 
lence of  the  Koran. 

But  the  duration  of  this  delusion  was  to  have 
a  limit.  **  The  smoke  was  to  darken  the  sun 
'^  and  the  air"  only  for  a  definite  period,  namely, 
1260  years.  This  period  is  expressed  in  pro- 
phetic Scripture  in  a  three-fold  form  of  words  to 
evince  its  certainty. 

1.  '*  The  Holy  City  shall  they  tread  under 
'■'  foot  forty  and  two  months''^  Rev.  xi.  2. — 
This  marks  the  period  of  the  Mahomedan  pow- 
er. The  same  expression  is  applied  afterwards 
to  the  duration  of  the  Papal  power.  The  de- 
pression of  the  true  faith  was  of  course  to  last 
the  same  time,  as  expressed  in  the  two  following 
sentences. 

2.  ''  The  Witnesses  (for  the  true  Faith)  shall 
,*  prophecy  a  thousand  tivo  huiidred  and  thixe- 
**  score  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth,"'!'  Rev.  xi.  3. 

*  A  day  for  a  year, 

42  months  =42+30=1260  days  .     .     .    «=  1260  ye^rs. 
t  A  day  for  a  year  i  1260  days     ...     .     =  1 260  years 


respecting  tt)e  atabiang.  1 9S 

3.  ''  The  Woman  or  (Church  of  Chvi$t)  fled 
*^  hito  the  wilderness,  and  was  nourished  for  a 
*'  time,  times  and  half  a  iimeJ'"^'     Rev.  ?^ii.  H-  • 

This  last  expression,  "  a  time,  times  and  half 
*'  a  time,"  is  also  used  hy  the  propjiet  Daniel, 
who  foretells  the  same  eventg?,  to  niftrk  the  period 
when  God  shall  *'  have  accomplished  to  scatter 
"  the  powers  of  th^  holy  people,"  and  shall 
terminate  his  indignation  dgddnst  Jp^aei'  Rap. 
xii.  7. 

It  is  very  well  known  in  the  East  at  wha;t 
time  Mahomed  appeared.  Let  the  Mahomedan 
then  he  informed,  that  he  is  to  count  1260  years 
from  the  Hejira,  and  then-  expect  the  fulfillment 
of  a'  remarkahle  I^rophecy,  made  by  ChTJ^ti, 
whom  the  Koran  acknowledges  to  be  "a  trye 
Prophet."  Let  him  rbe  informed  explicitly  thftt 
the  reign  of  M^homedanism  will  then  have  an 
end.  And  if  he  be  unwilling  to  belieye  this,  ask 
him  if  he  does  not  already  perceive  the  (/^c/i/;e  of 
Mahomedanism.  If  be  be  ignorant  of  this  fact, 
inform  him  of  the  history  of  events.  Instruct 
him,  that  the  corruption  of  Christianity  in  the 


A  time,  times,  and  half  a  time— a  year. 

two  years  and  halt    of   a  year=forty-  ^  =  1200  years, 

«wo  months=  12(30  days.     ,     ,     . 


} 


o 


194  Cf)rt2;tian  Eeseatcftes 

AVest  by  the  Pope,  was  coeval  with  the  corrup- 
tion of  Christianity  in  the  East  by  Mahomed; 
that  the  decline  of  both  these  powers  is,  at  this 
time,  equally  advanced  ;  and  that  the  fall  of  both 
is  to  be  contemporaneous.  If  he  be  ignorant  of 
the  decline  of  Papal  Rome,  the  Roman  Catholie 
in  the  East  will  declare  it  to  him. 

Is  there  any  man,  calling  himself  a  Chris- 
tian, who  thinks  that  these  prophecies  are  du- 
bious ?  If  it  be  true  that  God  hath,  at  any 
time,  revealed  himself  to  man,  they  are  most 
certain.  The  Author  would  here  observe,  that 
the  inattention  of  men  in  general  to  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  divine  predictions,  does  not  pro- 
ceed so  commonly  from  principles  of  infidelity, 
as  from  ignorance  o^  facts,- — pure  ignorance  of 
historical  facts.  There  are  men  of  liberal  edu- 
cation in  England,  who  are  more  ignorant  of 
the  history  of  the  world,  ancient  and  modern, 
in  connexion  with  the  revelation  of  God,  than 
some  Hindoos  and  Arabians,  whom  weknow  iu 
the  East,  who  have  not  been  Christians  above  a 
few  years.  Our  Saviour  reprehended  this  neg- 
lect of  **  the  word  spoken  from  Heaven,"  in 
these  words : — *'  Ye  cian  discern  the  face 
**  of  the  sky  and  of  the  earth,  but  how  is  it 
^*  that  ve  cannot  discern  this  time?"  Luke 
xii.  56, 


itspecttnjj  tlje  arabmite.  195 

The  Author  has  noticed  the  foregoing  eircum-* 
stances  in  connection  with  i\rabia,  to  iUustrate 
the  importance  of  preparing  a  version  of  the 
Scriptures  for  that  country,  at  the  present  era. 
But  the  Arabic  Language  hath  gone  forth  far 
beyonds  the  bounds  of  iVrabia,  and  is  known  to 
ahuost  ^'  a  third  part  of  men"  in  the  East.  The 
Koran  has  consecrated  it  in  the  eyes  of  millions 
of  men  dweUing  in  central  Asia,  on  the  con* 
tinent  of  Africa,  and  in  the  isles  of  the  Indian 
Ocean. 

A  version  of  the  v/hole  Bible  in  Arabic  has 
come  down  to  us;  but  it  is  now  antiquated,  like 
the  Persian,  both  in  dialect  and  orthography.  It 
does  not  appear  indeed  that  any  composition  in 
a  livin":  lanouaoe  of  a  hio^her  date  than  about 
five  hundred  years,  can  be  of  popular  use»  unless 
we  learn  it  from  our  infancy.  ^The  language  of 
our  own  Scriptures  becomes  now  peculiar  in 
nuuiy  respects,  and  distinct  irom  the  pcpular 
speech.  It  is  supposed,  that  the  Arabic  Trans- 
lation is  upwards  of  a  thousand  years  old.  Had 
there  been  no  interruption  in  the  profession  of 
(yinistianity  in  Arabia,  the  ancient  Translation 
might  possibly  have  sufficed  :  in  like  manner 
as  the  Hebrew  is  still  understood  bj^  the  Jews, 
and  the  Syriac  by  the  Syrian  Christians.  But 
when  a  new  religion  is  t(^  be  proposed  to  a  peo- 

o  2 


196  €i)rfettan  laesearcljes 

pie,  we  must  use  the  most  dignified  and  intelli- 
gible medium,  and  present  it  in  the  language 
which  is  in  pt)|)ular  use.  The  present  Arabic 
Translation  in  the  Polyglot,  is  perfectly  intelli- 
gible to  those  who  will  study  it  with  a  lexicon  ; 
but  we  certainly  cannot  oifer  it  at  this  time  as 
'conveying  the  meaning  of  Holy  Scripture  to 
the  Land  of  Yemen,  or  Arabia  the  Happy. 

Soon  after  Sabat,  the  Arabian,  had  been  con-, 
verted  to  Christianity,  the  object  which  chiefly 
occupied  his  thoughts,  was  a  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  for  his  native  country.  He  himself 
could  easily  read  and  understand  the  existing 
translation  ;  for  he  is  a  learned  man,  and  ac-* 
quainted  radically  with  every  dialect  of  the  lan- 
guage;  and  it  was  by  means  of  that  translation 
that  he  himself  became  a  Christian  f  but  he 
says  he  should  be  ashamed  to  offer  the  Bible 
to  his    countrymen  in  its  present  form  ;  such  a 


*  The  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  which  fell  into  the  hands 
of  Sabat,  was  one  of  the  editions  published  in  1727  by  ''  the 
Society  for  promoting  Christian  Knowledge,"  revised  by  Salo- 
mon Negri.  An  investment  of  these  Arabic  Testaments  was 
sent  about  I75g,  to  the  Society's  Missionaries  in  Calcuila,  who 
circulated  them  through  different  provinces.  The  following 
is  a  well-attested  fact  :  They  sent  some  copies  to  the  Mahome-- 
daii  Priests  at  Delhi,  "  who  requested  that  the  supply  might  b« 
continued.*'     See  Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  that  period, 


respertinff  t\)t  arabtans?.  197 

version   would   neither   be    acceptable    to   the 
learned,  nor  intelligible  to  the  unlearned. 

This  noble  Arabian  has  been  now  three  years, 
or  more,  employed  in  translating  tlie  Scriptures 
into  the  Arabic  Language,  with  the  aid  of  other 
learned  Asiatics,  under  the  superintendance  of 
the  Rev.  H.  Martyn,  who  has  himself  been  long 
a  student  of  the  Arabic  Tongue.  Mr.  Martyn 
has  lately  stated  their  reasons  for  undertaking  a 
new  translation,  which  the  Author  will  here 
subjoin,  in  deference  to  the  learned  at  home, 
who  may  think  some  further  explanation  ne- 
cessary. 

"  Of  the  Arabic  version  of  the  Polyglot,  the 
"  late  Professor  Carlyle,  in  his  copy  of  prbpo- 
"  sals  for  printing  a  new  edition  of  it  spciil^s 
'*  in  the  highest  terms,  and  observes,  that  it 
*'  was  used  both  by  Jews  and  Christians  as  a 
"  faithful  and  elegant  representation  of  their 
"  respective  books  of  faith.  But  even  sup- 
"  posing  that  both  Jews  and  Clnibtians  are 
*'  satisfied  with  the  translation,  no  one,  who  has 
^'  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  degraded 
*^  state  6f  these  people  in  the  East,  would  ad- 
*'  mit  them  as  competent  judges  of  the  Arabic, 
*'  The  professor  has  adduced,  in  ftivour  of  the 
*'  version  in  question,  the  opinions  of  Erpenius, 
"  Gabriel  Sionita,  and  Pocock ;   names  of  high 


108  Cljrfetian  Eeseai^cljes 

"  coDsideratiou  in  Arabic  learning,  particularly 
"  the  last.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  such  of 
"  the  Mahomedans  as  have  sfsen  this  version, 
*'  think  very  differently  of  it.  If  we  would 
*'  invite  tlie  fastidious  Mussulman  to  review 
'*  the  sacred  law  which  he  supposes  abrogated, 
*^  let  us  not  neglect  pur  present  opportunities  ; 
'*  but  with  such  an  instrument  as  Sabat  in. 
^*  our  possession,  let  us  attempt,  at  least,  to 
"  send  forth  the  Scriptures  in  a  style  which 
'*  shall  command  respect  even  Iri  Nujed  and 
*.'  Hejaz." 

Mr.  Martyn  adverts  to  the  new  edition  of 
the  Polyglot  translation^  now  publishing  in 
England,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Bishop 
of  Durham,  and  highly  commends  the  design. 
*'  We  rejoice,"  writes  he,  ^'  to  hear'  that  the 
old  Polyglot  is  going  forth  at  last  in  a  new- 
dress.  It  may  be  usefid  to  some  in  Asia,  as  it 
was  to  Sabat." — Anrl,  in  regard  to  the  extent 
of  country  through  which  the  Arabic  is  spoken, 
he  observes,  that  the  Arabic  translation  is  of 
more  importance  than  one-fourth  of  all  the 
translations  now  in  hand.  "  We  will  begin," 
says  he,  *'  to  preach  to  Arabia,  Syria,  Persia,  ; 
Tartary,  part  of  India  and  of  China,  half  of 
Africa,  all  the  sea-coast  of  the  Mediterranean 


vt^ptttins  tl)t  arabians?/  199 

and  Turkey ;  and  one  tongue  shall  suffice  for 
them  all." 

The  proposal  for  publishing  the  Arabic  Bible 
has  already  met  with  a  very  liberal  patronage  in 
India.  It  is  intended  to  publish  an  edition  of 
the  New  Testament,  in  a  splendid  form,  for  the 
use  of  the  chief  men  in  Arabia  and  Persia, 
resembling,  as  nearly  as  possible,  their  own  beau- 
tiful writing.  The  Universities,  and  literary 
bodies  in  Europe,  will,  no  doubt,  be  disposed 
to  subscribe  for  some  copies  of  this  truly  classi- 
cal Work.  It  is  stated  in  the  last  accounts, 
dated  May  1810,  that  the  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  was  expected  to  be  finished 
by  the  end  of  the  present  year,  1811. 


THE  CONVERSION  OF  SABAT. 

The  following  account  of  the  conversion  of 
Sabat  is  extracted  from  the  Author's  Sermon, 
entitled,  "  The  Star  in  the  East."— 

'  Thus  far  we  have  spoken  of  die  success  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  Asia,  by  means  of  European  preachers.     But  we 


200  C|)rfetian  W^muvtW 

shall  now  exhibit  to  you  evidence  from  another  source, 
from  a  new  and  unexpected  quarter.  Wc  are  now  to 
declare  what  has  been  done,  independently  of  our  exer- 
tions, and  in  regions  were  we  have  no  labourers,  and 
no  access.  And  this  I  do  to  show  you,  that  whether 
we  assist  in  the  work  or  not,  it  is  God's  will  tliat  it  should 
hegin.  You  have  hitherto  been  contemplating  the  Light 
in  India,  We  are  now  to  announce  to  you  that  a  light 
hath  appeared  in  Arabia,  and  dawned  as  it  were,  on  the 
Temple  of  Mecca  itself.  « 

'  Two  Mahomedans  of  Arabia,  persons  of  distinction 
in  their  own  country^  have  been  lately  converted  to  the 
Christian  faith.  One  of  them  has  already  suffered  mar- 
trydom.  The  other  is  now  engaged  in  translating  the 
Scriptures,  and  in  concerting  plans  for  the  conversion  of 
his  countrymen..  The  name  of  the  martyr  is  Abdallah  5* 
and  the  name  of  the  other,  who  is  now  translating  the 
Scriptures,  is  Sabat :  or,  as  he  is  called  since  his  Chris- 
tian baptism,  Nathanael  Sabat.  Sabat  resided  in  my 
house  some  time  before  I  left  India,  and  I  had  from  his 
own  mouth  the  chief  .part  of  the  account  which  I  shall 
now  give  to  you.  Some  particulars  I  had  from  others. 
His  conversion  took  place  after  the  martyrdom  of  Abdal- 
lah, ^  to  whose  death  he  was  consenting  5'  and  he  related 
the  circumstances  to  me  with  many  tears. 

^  Abdallah  and  Sabat  were  intimate  friends,  and  being 
young  men  of  family  in  Arabia,  they  agreed  to  travel 
together,  and  to  visit  foreign  countries.     They  were  both 


*  The  word  Abdallah  is  the  same  as  Abdiel  j  and  signifies 
the  '^  Servant  of  God." 


respecting  tlje  Arabians.  201 

zealous  Maliomedans,  Sabat  is  son  of  Ibrahim  Sabat, 
a  noble  family  of  the  line  of  Beni-Sabat,  who  trace 
their  pedigree  to  Mahomed.  The  two  friends  left  Arabia, 
after  paying  their  adorations  at  the  tomb  of  their  prophet, 
and  travelled  through  Persia,  and  thence  to  Cabul. 
Abdallah  was  appointed  to  an  office  of  state  under  Ze- 
raaun  Shah,  King  of  Cabul ;  and  Sabat  left  him  there, 
and  proceeded  on  a  tour  through  Tartary. 

'  While  Abdallah  remained  at  Cabul,  he  was  converted 
to  the  Christian  faith  by  the  perusal  of  a  Bible  (as  is 
supposed)  belonging  to  a  Christian  from  Armenia,  then 
residing  at  Cabul.*  In  the  Mahomedan  states,  it  is 
death  for  a  man  of  rank  to  become  a  Christian.  Abdal- 
lah endeavoured  for  a  time  to  conceal  his  conversion ; 
but  finding  it  no  longer  possible,  he  determined  to  flee 
to  some  of  the  Christian  Churches  near  the  Caspian  Sea. 
He  accordingly  left  Cabul  in  disguise,  and  had  gained 
the  great  city  of  Bochara  in  Tartary,  when  he  was  met 
in  the  streets  of  that  city  by  his  friend  Sabat,  who  imme- 
diately recognized  him.  Sabat  had  heard  of  his  conver- 
sion and  flight,  and  was  filled  with  indignation  at  his 
conduct.  Abdallah  knew  his  danger,  and  threw  himself 
'at  tlie  feet  of  Sabat.  He  confessed  that  he  was  a  Chris- 
tian, and  implored  him,  by  the  sacred  tie  of  their  former 
friendship,  to  let  him  esc\ipe  with  his  life.  '  But,  Sir, 
said  Sabat  when  relating  the  story  himself,  '  I  had  no 
pity.  I  caused  my  servants  to  seize  him,  and  I  delivered 
liim    up   to  Morad  Shah,  King  of  Bochara.     He   was 


*  The  Armenian  Christians  in  Persia  have  among  them  a  few 
copies  of  the  Arabic  Bible. 


202  C!)nsttan  Heseardjes 

sentenced  to  die,  and  a  herald  went  through  the  city  of 
Bochara,  announcing  the  time  of  his  execution.  An 
immense  multitude  attended,  and  the  chief  men  of  the 
city.  I  also  went  and  stood  near  to  Abdallah.  He 
was  offered  his  life  if  he  would  abjure  Christ,  the  execu- 
tioner standing  by  him  with  his  sword  in  his  hand.  '  No/ 
said  he,  (as  if  the  proposition  were  impossible  to  be 
complied  with)  ^I  cannot  abjure  Christ.*  Then  one  of 
his  hands  was  cut  off  at  the  wrist.  He  stood  firm,  his 
arm  hanging  by  his  side  but  with  little  motion.  A  physi- 
cian, by  desire  of  the  K,ing,  offered  to  heal  the  wound  if 
he  would  recant.  He  made  no  answer,  but  looked  up 
stedfastly  towards  Heaven,  like  Stephen,  the  first  martyr, 
kis  eyes  streaming  with  tears.  He  did  not  look  with 
anger  towards  me.  He  looked  at  me.  But  it  was 
benignly,  and  with  the  countenance  of  forgiveness.  His 
other  hand  was  then  cut  off.  '  But,  Sir,'  said  Sabat,  in 
his  imperfect  English,  '  he  never  changed,  he  never 
clmnged.  And  when  he  bowed  his  head  to  receive  the 
blow  of  death,  all  Bochara  seemed  to  say,  ^  What  new 
thing  is  this  ?* 

*  Sabat  had  indulged  the  hope,  that  Abdallah  would 
have  recanted  when  he  was  offered  his  life ;  but  when 
he  saw  that  his  friend  was  dead,  he  resigned  himself  to 
grief  and  remorse.  He  travelled  from  place  to  place, 
seeking  rest  and  finding  none.  At  last  he  thought  that 
he  would  visit  India.  He  accordingly  came  to  Madras 
about  live  years  ago.  Soon  after  his  arrival,  he  was 
appointed  by  the  English  government  a  Mufti,  or 
expounder  of  Mahomedan  law ;  his  great  learning  and 
respectable  station  in  his  own  country,  rendering  him  well 
qualified  for  that  office.     And  now  the  period  of  his  owr 


jcanversion  drew  near.  While  he  was  at  Visagapatam, 
in  the  Northern  Circars,  exercising  his  professional  du- 
ties. Providence  brought  in  his  way  a  New  Testament  in 
the  Arabic  language.*  He  i;ead  it  with  deep  thought, 
the  Koran  laying  before* him.  He  compared  them  toge- 
ther with  patience  and  solicitude,  and  at  length  the  trutli 
of  the  word  fell  on  his  mind,  as  he  expressed  it,  llluj  a 
flood  of  light.  Soon  afterwards  he  proceeded  to  Madras, 
a  journey  of  300  miles,  to  se«k  Christian  baptism;  and 
liaving  made  a  public  confession  of  his  faith,  he  was  bap* 
tised  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ker,  in  the  English  Church  at 
that  place,  by  the  name  of  Nathanael,  in  the  twenty- 
seventh  year  of  his  age. 

^  Being  now  desirous  to  devote  his  future  life  to  the 
glory  of  God,  he  resigned  his  secular  employ,   and  came 
by  invitation  to  Bengal,  where  he   is    now  engaged  in 
translating  the   Scriptures    into   the   Persian    language. 
This  work  has  not  hitherto  been  executed,  for  want  of 
a  translator  of  sufficient  ability.     The  Persian  is  an  im- 
portant language  in  the  East,  being  the  general  language 
of  Western  Asia,  particularly  among  the  higher  classes, 
and  is  understood  from  Calcutta  to  Damascus.     But  the 
great  work  whicli  occupies  the  attention   of  this    noble 
Arabian   is   the  promulgation  of  the  Gospel  among  his 
own  countrymen;  and  from  the  DiCJi-nt  fluctiiatioiAS  of 
religious  opinion  in  Arabia,  he  is  sangiilnc  in  b.i»,hopes  of 
success.     His   first  work  is  entitled,  (Nearoa  B^:shaiatin 
Jil   Arabi)    '  Happy  News  for   Arabia ;'  written   in  the 


*  One  of  those  copies  sent  to  India  by  the  ''  Society  for  pro- 
moting Christian  Knowledge." 


«()4  Cljrtsttan  Eesearrljes 

Nabutte,  or  common  dialect  of  the  country.  It  contains 
an  eloquent  and  argumentative  ekicidation  of  the  trutFi 
of  the  Gospel,  with  copious  authorities  adniittcd  by  the 
Mahomedans  themselves,  and  particularly  by  the  Waha- 
bians.  And  prefixed  to  it  is  an  account  of  the  con- 
version of  the  author,  and  an  appeal  to  the  well-known 
femily  in  Arabia,  for  the  truth  of  the  facts. 

*  The  following  circumstance  in  the  history  of  Sabat 
ought  not  to  be  omitted.  When  his  family  in  Arabia 
had  heard  that  he  had  followed  the  example  of  Abdallali. 
and  become  a  Christian,  they  dispatched  his  brother  to 
India,  (a  voyage  of  two  months)  to  assassinate  him. 
While  Sabat  was  sitting  in  his.  house  at  Visagapatam,  his 
brother  presented  himself  in  the  disguise  of  a  faqueer, 
or  beggar,  having  a  dagger  concealed  under  his  mantle. 
He  rushed  on  Sabat,  and  wounded  him.  But  Sabat 
seized  his  arm,  and  his  servants  came  to  his  assistance. 
He  then  recognized  his  brother  !  The  assassin  would 
have  become  the  victim  of  public  justice,  but  Sabat  in- 
terceded for  him,  and  sent  him  home  in  peace  with  let- 
ters and  presents  to  his  mother's  house  in  Arabia.* 

The  Members  of  the  Asiatic  Society  in  Ben- 
gal, having  been  imposed  on,  same  years  ago, 
by  a  learned  Hindoo,  (who  certainly  made  no 
profession  of  Christianity,)  whose  fabrications 
they  published  in  their  Researches,  (see  Mr.  Wil- 
ford's  Account,  vol.  7th)  it  has  been  sometimes 
insinuated  by  the  adversaries  of  Christian  Mis- 
sions,   that  Sabat,   the  Arabian,    Mould  prove, 


respecting  fl)e  arabians^         205 

in  like  manner,  to  have  deceived  us.  This  is 
certainly  possible  :  and  all  good  men  would 
deplore  the  event.  Let  us  be  thankful,  how- 
ever, for  the  good  that  has  been  already  done  by 
his  means. 

He  has  made  a  translation  of  tlie  Gospels 
into  the  Pei'sian  language,  and  "  800  copies  of 
"  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke  have  been  printed 
"  and  exposed  in  the  Bibliotheca  Biblica  of 
"•  Calcutta,  for  sale."  And  we  have  now  the 
satisfaction  to  state,  that  he  has  been  faithful  to 
his  Christian  principles  for  six  years,  and  that 
*Vhis  translation  of  thq  whole  New  Testament, 
*^  into  the  Arabic  language,  was  expected  to  be 
"  finished  by  the  end  of  the  present  year, 
''  181 1.^' 


THE  ARABIC  SCHOOL 


FOR    THE 


TRANSLATION   OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

The  Rev.  Henry  Martyn,  B.  D.  Fellow  of 
St.  John's  College,  Cambridge,  went  out  to 
India  about  five  years  ago.     His  qualifications 


206  Cljrfetian  Eesearclje^ 

for  the  general  superin tendance  of  scriptttra! 
translation,  are  truly  respectable.  After  ac- 
quiring the  liighest  academical  honours  in 
science,  and  a  just  celebrity  for  classical  know- 
ledge, he  devoted  himself  to  the  acquirement 
of  the  Arabic  and  Hindostanee  Languages. 
His  mind  was  strongly  impressed,  at  an  early 
period,  witli  the  duty  and  importance  of 
communicating  the  revealed  Religion  to  heathen 
nations.  He  had  a  spirit  to  follow  the  steps  of 
Swartz  and  Ih-ainerd,  and  preach  to  the  natives 
in  the  woods  :  but  Ids  peculiar  (jualihcations, 
as  a  critical  scholar,  have  fixed  him  to  the  de- 
partment of  translation.  He  had  not  been  long 
in  Bengal  before  he  was  joined  by  Sabat  the 
Arabian,  and  Mirza  the  Persian,  and  other  learned 
natives':  so  that  they  now  {o:md\\  Arabic  School, 
from  which  it  is  not  pretended  that  there  is  any 
appeal  in  India. 

Mr.  Marty n's  own  proper  department  it  the 
Hindostanee  I/anguage.  Soon  after  his  arrival 
he  translated  the  Liturgy  of  the  Church  of 
England  into  that  tongue.  He  found  that  many 
of  the  wives  of  the  English  soldiers  were  Hin- 
dostanee women,  professing  Christianity,  but 
"who  did  not  understand  the  English  Language; 
and  being  desirous  to  discharge  faithfully  the 
duties  of  his  sacred  office,  he  thought  it  proper 


resijpecttng  tl)e  araWans,         iior 

to  attempt  such  a  translation.  This  original 
work,  having  received  repeated  revision  and 
amendment,  is  esteemed  by  competent  judges 
to  be  a  perspicuous  and  faithful  version  of  the 
subUme  original.  He  also  translated,  about  the 
same  time,  the  parables  and  parabolic  speeches 
or  apophthegms,  of  our  Saviour,  into  the  same 
language,  with  an  explanation  subjoined  to 
^ach. 

But  the  grand  work  which  has  chiefly  en- 
gaged the  attention  of  this  Oriental  Scholar, 
during  the  last  four  years,  is  his  Translation  of 
the  whole  Bible  into  the  Hixdostanee  Lan- 
guage. It  has  been  often  acknowledged,  that 
a  version  of  the  Scriptures  into  what  is  justly 
called^*  the  grand  popular  language  of  Hindos- 
tan,"  would  be  the  most  generally  useful  in 
India.  Mr.  Martyu  is  in  no  haste  to  print  any 
part  of  his  Work,  being  desirous  that  it  should 
be  first  revised  and  approved  by  the  best 
scholars.  His  chief  difficulty  is  in  settling  the 
orthography  of  the  language,  and  in  ascertain- 
ing what  proportion  of  words  ouglit  to  be 
•admitted  from  the  Persian  and  Arabic  fountains; 
for  the  Hindostance  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  as  a 
written  and  grammatical  tongue  ;  and  it  is  pro- 
bable, that  IMr.  IVIartyn's  Work  will  contribute 
ttiuch  to  iix  its  standard.     To  evince  the   care 


20S  Cljristiaix  iSi^searcijes 

and  accuracy  which  he  proposes  to  himself  in 
this  Translation,  it  will  be  proper  to  subjoin 
his  last  official  Report  on  the  subject,  dated 
December,  I8O9. 

•^  The  Hindostanee  New  Testament  has  been 
^"  finished  some  time,  and  submitted  to  the 
"  inspection  of  a  variety, of  persons  in  different 
"  partsof  the  country  ;  but  the  opipions  formed 
"  of  the  Work  have  not  hitherto  appeared  to 
"  justify  its  publication.  I  am  perfectly  con- 
*'  vinced  of  the  inutility  of  attempting  to  please 
'*  all;  yet  I  thought  it  better  to  withhold  from. 
*'  the  Press  what  longer  experience,  and  the 
*'  possession  of  more  efficient  instruments, 
'*  might  enable  me  to  send  forth  in  a. form  more 
*'  calculated  to  give  general  satisfaction.  The 
''  person  whose  assistance  I  was  most  anxious 
*'  ,to  obtaiaj,  has  once  more  joined  me;  and  I  am 
"  now  willing  to  hope,  that  the  Word  of  God 
'*  Inay  be  presented  to  the  native  pf  India,  so  as 
*^  to  be  intelligible  to  the  generality  of  readers. 
*^  The  grammar  of  the  language  is  nearly  fixed 
*'  by  Mr.  Gilchrists  learned  and  useful  labouis  ; 
"  but  it  is  still  difficult  to  write  in  it  with  a 
"  view  to  general  utility.  Fur  the  higher  Ma- 
'^  homedans  and  men  of  learning  will  hardly 
"  peruse,  with  satisfaction,  a  book  in  which  the 
"  Ftrslan  has  notliijnt  its  aid  to  acioru  the  style- 


n&ptttiws  tt)t  ptmims.         sop 

^^  To  tlie  rest  a  larger  proportion  of  Hindee  is 
"  more  acceptable.  The  difficulty  of  ascer- 
"  taining  the  point  equally  removed  from  either 
"  extreme,  would  be  considerably  lessened,  were 
"  there  any  prose  compositions  in  the  language, 
"  of  acknowledged  purity.  But  unfortunately 
"  no  such  standard  exists  :  no  works  of  any  de- 
*'  scription  indeed  have  been  found  but  poems. 
"  Lately  some  translations  in  Hindostanee  prose 
'^  have  issued  from  the  College  of  Fort- William  ; 
*'  but  as  they  have  not  yet  stood  the  test  of  time, 
*^  and  are  very  little  known  in  the  country,  they 
'^  could  not  safely  be  referred  to  as  a  standard. 
''  Thus  I  have  been  left  to  the  guidance  of  my 
^^  own  judgement  far  more  than  I  could  have 
'"'  wished." 

In  regard  to  the  Arabic  and  Persian  transla- 
tions, both  of  which  Mr.  Marty n  superintends 
as  well  as  the  Hindostanee,  he  thus  writes  : 

"  In  the  Persian  and  Arabic  translations  there 
'  are  happily  no  such  difficulties.  The  valuable 
'  qualities  of  our  Christian  brother,  Nathanael 
'  Sabat,  render  this  part  of  the  work  compara- 
'  tively  easy.  As  he  is,  I  trust,  a  serious 
'  Christian,  the  study  of  the  Word  of  God, 
^  and  the  translation  of  it,  are  of  course  a  mat- 
'  ter  of  choice  with  him,  and  a  rigid  adherence 

p 


210  €\)vi^tim  i&mRvtl)t^ 

''  to  the  original,  a  point  of  duty.*  As  a  scliular 
*'  his  acquirements  are  very  considerable.  He 
^'  was  educated  under  the  care  of  the  most 
*^  learned  man  in  Bagdad,  and,  having  conti- 
*'  nued  to  exercise  himself  in  compo«itioii,  he 
*^  has  acquired  in  consequence  a  critical  acurfien, 
*^  and  great  command  of  words.  His  ill  state 
^^  of  health  renders  it  impossible  to  say  exactly 
"  when  the  work  he  has  undertaken  will  be 
"  finished  ;  but  if  nothing  untoward  happen  to 
*'  interrupt  us,  you  may  expect  the  New  Testa- 
"  ment,  in  the  three  languages,  in  tlie  course 
**  of  two  years." 


THE    .IE  W  S. 

There  are  three  remarkable  prophecies  con- 
cerning the  Jews. 

0 

*  The  solicitude  of  these  Translators  to  infuse  the  true  mean- 
ing of  the  original  into  their  versions,  and  not  to  trust  entirely 
to  the  English  Translation,  will  appear  from  the  following 
observations  of  Mr.  Martyn  in  his  last  letter. — "  The  Psalms 
we  must  leave  till  the  end  of  the  New  Testament,  for  this  solid 
reason,  that  1  do  not  understand  a  considerable  portion  of  that 
book.  Much  of  the  present  Translation  is  certainly  unintelli- 
gible. It  appears  to  me,  that  the  two  Royal  Authors  have  suf- 
fered more  from  the  plebeian  touch  of  their  interpreters,  than 
even  the  Prophets,  or  any  others  but  Job.  Hebrew  has  been  of 
late  my  constant  meditatioij." 


respecting  tf)e'feto0.  211 

1.  "  The  children  of  Israel  shall  abide  many 
days  without  a  King,  and  without  a  Prince, 
and  without  a  sacrifice,  and  without  an  image, 
and  without  an  Ephod,  and  without  Terra- 
phi  m  !"  Hos.  iii.  4. 
9,.  "  The  Lord  shall  scatter  thee  among  all 
'  people,  from   the  one  end  of  the  earth  even 

*  unto  the  other."     Deut.  xxix.  64.     And  yet 

*  the  people  shall  dwell  alone,  and  shall  not  be 
^  reckoned  amongst  the  nations."  Num.xxiii.  9. 

3.  "  Thou  shalt  become  an  astonishment, 
'  a  prov^erb,  and  a  bye-word  among  all  the  na- 
'  tions  whither  the  Lord  shall  lead  thee.— 
'  Among  these  nations  shalt  thou  find  no  ease, 
'  neither  shall  the  sole  of  thy  foot  have  rest.** 
Deut.  xxviii.  37-  65. 

The  first  of  these  prophecies  is  very  remark- 
able; for  who  ever  heard  of  a  nation  "  abiding 
"  many  days"  without  its  civil  and  religious 
polity,  and  surviving  its  political  existence? 
The  very  assertion  seems  to  involve  an  absurdity. 
Did  the  Egyptians,  Chaldeans,  Greeks,  or  Ro- 
mans survive  their  civil  and  religious  polity  ? 

The  secovjd  prediction  is  not  less  singular  than 

tjie  former;  for  if  tlie  Jews  were  to  be  received 

^among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  why  should  they 

not    *' be  reckoned   with  the  nations?"     Would 

any  man,  in  a  retnoteage,  venture  to  foretel  that 

p  2 


'j3M2  Cijrfettan  mmml)t^ 

there  was  a  certain  nation,  whicli,  in  the  ages  to 
come,  would    be   received  and  tolerated  by  ail   . 
other  nations,  merely  to  be  persecuted:*  ' 

But  the  third  prophecy  is  such  as  mdst  afford 
a  contemplation  to  infidelity,  to  the  end  of  time. 
The  Jews  were  to  become  ''  an  astonishment, 
**  and  a  proverb,  and  a  bye-word  among  all  th'e 
''^*  nations,"  because  they  shed  the  blood  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  Nbw  it  is  not  surpri- 
sing tliat  Christians  should  reproach  them  f<;r 
such  a  crime.  But  how  should  we  expect  that 
they  would  be  "  trodden  down  of  the  heathok 


*  To  this  day  the  Jews  "  are  not  reckoned"  with  the 
English  nation.  The  prophetical  record  iiifluenced  the  last 
parliamentary  proceeding  respecting  them.  In  175S,  a  Bill 
was  passed  to  naturalize  the  Jewsj  but  alter  a  few  months  it 
wa^  repealed,  the  voice  of  the  people  demanded  that  the  de- 
voted nation  should  '^  not  be  reckoned  with  them."  So  true  it  is, 
that  our  last  national  deliberation  concerning  this  people  was 
influenced  by  the  ancient  prophecy. — The  time  is  now  come 
when  Parliament  may  restore  to  the  Jew  the  franchise  of 
a  fellow  creaturcj  without  contravening  the  Divine  decree*. 
It  Is  predicted  again,  that  "Israel  shall  return  to  the  Lord 
iheir  God  3"  and  it  is  believed  that  the  period  jof  this  event  js  not 
far  remote.  In  obedience  then  to  the  dictate  of  this  prophecy', 
let  our  Christian  natjon  proceed,  yvi|hout  delay,  to  take  away* 
tiIe  iJEpROAcn  of  the  J^Viiih  people  :  and  announce  the  act  in 
die  most  publif^  and  soU?nMi  manner,  as  an  exampb  to  the  rest 
of  the  w&rjd. 


respecttug  tl)e  f  elus.  ais 

^*  world,"  who  never  heard  of  such  a  Saviour? 
Behold  the  Hindoo,  at  this  day,. punishing-  the 
Jew,  without  knowing  the  crime  of  which  lie 
has  been  guilty! 

These  three  prophecies  have   been  numifestly 
fulfilled;  and    if  we  had  no  otlier  evidence,  this- 
is  sufficient  to  prove  '*  that  there  is  a  God,  and- 
'  that  he  hath  made  a  revelation  to  man." 

There  is  a  fourth  prophecy  concerning  this' 
])e()ple,  which  is  hastening  to  its  accomplish- 
ment. The  Prophet  Hosea,  after  foretelling 
that  the  children  of  Israel  should  abide  many 
days  without  a  King,  adds  these  words  :  — ' 
*'  Afterwards  shall  they  return,  and  seek  the 
'*  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king;  and 
'^  shall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  in  the 
''  latter  days."     Hosea  iii.  5. 

The  question,  which  is  now  in  the  month  of 
ev^ery  Christian,  is  that  which  was  asked  in  the 
vision  of  the  prophet  Daniel  on  the  same  sub- 
ject ;  "  How  long  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  th^se 
'^  wonders?"  Dan.  xii.  G.  *'  When  shall  the 
^'  indignation  against  the  holy  people  be  accom- 
''  plished  ?"  Dan.  xi.  31,  that  they  may  "  return 
''  and  seek  the  Laid  their  God,  and  David  their 
**  King?" 

To  Daniel  the  Prophet,  and  to  John  the  Evan- 
gelist, was  given  a  revelation  of  the  great  event;? 


214  Christian  Eesearcljeg 

of  the  general  Church  to  the  end  of  time. 
Daniel  foretels  that  the  Christiai^  Church  shall 
be  oppressed  by  the  persecuting  powers  for 
"  a  time,  times,  and  the  dividing  of  a  time." 
Dan.  vii.  25.  The  sanie  period  he  assigns  for 
the  accomplishment  of  the  indignation  against 
the  holy  people  Israel.  "  One  said,  how  long 
"  shall  it  be  to  the  end  of  these  wonders?  And 
**  I  heard  the  man  clotlied  in  linen,  which  was 
**  upon  the  waters  of  the  river,  when  he  held 
''  up  his  right  hand  and  his  left  hand  unto 
*^  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever, 
*'  that  it  shall  be  for  a  time,  times,  and  a  half; 
**  and  when  he  shall  have  accomplished  to 
**  scatter  the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all  these 
things  shall  be  fulfilled."  Dan.  xii.  7.  Now 
the  same  form  of  words  is  used  in  the  Revela- 
tion of  St.  John,  to  express  the  duration  of  the 
papal  and  Mahomedan  powers.  Oppressed  by 
them,  the  Church  of  Christ  was  to  remain  deso- 
late in  the  wilderness,  "  for  a  time,  times,  and 
"  HALF  of  a  tim£."  Rcv.  xii.  14.  Every  one, 
who  is  erudite  in  sacred  prophecy,  will  under- 
stand that  this  great  period  of  Daniel  and  St. 
John  commences  at  the  same  era,  namely,  the 
rise  of  the  persecuting  powers;  and  that  its 
duration  is  \Q,60  years.* 

*  See  this  period  explained  in  p.  192-3. 


respectmg  tije  "StXm.  215 

Here  then  are  three  great  events  hastening  to 
their  period  ;  the  extinction  of  the  Papal  domi- 
nion ;  the  subversion  of  the  Mahomedan  power ; 
and  ''the  accompHshment  of  the  divine  indig* 
**  nation  against  the  holy  people,"  or  the  return 
of  the  people,  of  Israel  "  to  seek  the  Lord  their 
"  God,  and  David  their  king." 

Our  blessed  Saviour  has  not  left  an  event  of 
this  importance  without  notice.  *'  The  Jews," 
saith  lie,  **  shall  be  led  away  captive  into  all 
'^ nations;  and  Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down 
"  of  the  Gentiles,  until  the  times  of  the  Gentiles 
<*  be  fulfilled."  Luke  xxi.  24.  What  these 
''TIMES  of  the  Gentiles"  are,  our  Lord  has 
explained  in  his  subsequent  Revelation  to  St. 
John.  "  The  court  which  is  witliout  the  temple 
"  is  given  unto  the  Gentiles;  and  the  holy  city 
*'  shall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two 
'*  months  ;"  or,  in  prophetical  language,  at  a 
day  for  a  year,,  1260  years.     Rev.  xi.  2. 

The  Apostle  Paul  hath  also  recorded  this  event. 
"  I  would  not  brethren,  that  ye  should  be 
*'  ignorant  of  this  mystery,  that  blindness,  in 
"  part,  is  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness 
*'  of  the  Gentiles  be. come  in;  and  so  all  Israel 
''  shall  be  saved."  Rom.  xi.  25.  The  fulness  of 
time  for  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles  will  be 
come  in,   when  the  Mahomedan  and  Papal  ob 


216  Cirrfettan  iaesearcl)e£? 

structiqns  are  removed.  Such  events  as  the  flail 
of  the  Pope  in  the  West,  and  of  Mahomed  hi  the 
East,  both  of  whom  persecuted  the  Jew^s  to 
death,  will  probably  be  the  means  of  awakening 
the  Jevvs  to  consider  the  evidences  of  that  Reli- 
gion which  predicted  the  rise  and  fall  of.  both. 

But  the  grand  prophecy  of  the  apostle  Paul 
on  this  subject,  is  that  which  respects  tht  come- 
quence  of  the  conversion  of  the  Jews.  "  The 
"  receiving  of  the  Jews,"  saith  he,  *'What  shall 
*'  it  be  to  the'world,  but  life  fkom  the  dead  ?" 
Rom.  xi.  15.  Dispersed  as  they  arc  in  all 
countries,  and  speaking  the  languages  of  all 
countries,  they  will  form  a  body  of  preacher^ 
ready  prepared ;  and  they  need  only  say, 
"  Behold  the  Scriptures  of  God,  in  our  pos- 
"  session ;  read  our  history  there,  as  foretold 
'*  three  tholisand  yeai^s  ago,  and  read  the  events 
*'  in  the  annals  of  nations.  We  are  w^itnesses 
*'  to  the  world,  and  the  world  to  us.  Let  the 
**  whole  race  of  mankind  unite  and  examine  the 
''fact." — "  All  ye  inhabitants  of  the  world, 
*'  and  dwellers  on  the  earth,  see  ye,  when  the 
"  Lord  lifteth  up  an  ensign  on  the  mountains  : 
"  and  when  he  bloweth  a  trumpet,  hear  ye." 
Isaiah  xviii.  3. — Thus  will  their  preaching  be  to 
Ihe  world  '*  x^ife  from  the  dead." 

But  if  the  conversion   of    Israel   is  to-  takq 


respecting  tJ)e  f  elDs(.  ^17 

})lace  when  the  Papal  and  Mahornedan  powers 
liave  fallen,  (and  who  does  not  see  that  these 
events  are  near  at  hand?)  it  might  be  expected 
that  some  signs  of  conciliation  between  Jews 
and  Christians  would  now  begin  to  be  visible* 
And  is  not  this  tlie  fact?  Christians  in  all 
countries  begin  to  consider,  tliat  *'  the  indigna- 
**  tion  against  the  holy  people"  is  nearly  accom- 
plished. Many  events  declare  it.  The  indig- 
nation of  man  is  'relaxing.  The  prophecies 
have  been  fulfiltfed  Regarding  it.  \  The  great 
CRIME  at  Calvary  has  beeii  punished  by  all 
nations:  and  we  now  hear  the  words  of  the 
Prophet  addressing  us,  "  Comfort  ye,  comfort 
^"  ye  my  people,  saith  your  God  ;  speak  ye  com- 
**  fortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry  unto  her,  that 
**  her  warfare  is  accomplished,  that  her  iniquity 
**  is  pardoned."  Isaiah  xl.  1.  This  is  the  Di- 
vine command.  And  behold  Christians  begin 
now,  for  the  first  time,  "  to  speak  comfortably 
to  Jerusalem." 


While  the  author  was  in  the  East,  tlie  state 
of  the  Jews,  who  are  dispersed  in  different 
countries,  frequently  occupied  his  thoughts. 
lie  had  hc^rd  that  they  existed  in  distinct  colo- 
nies in   certain    parts  of  India;    that  some  of 


2 1 8  €l)vi^tim  EesearcljesJ 

tliem  had  arrived  long  before  the  Christian  Era, 
and  had  remained  in  the  midst  of  tlie  Hindoos, 
to  ibis  time,  a  distinct  and  separate  people,  per- 
secuted by  the  native  princes,  from  age  to  age, 
and  yet  not  destroyed;  "  burning,  like  the  bush 
*'  of  Moses,  and  not  consumed  ;"  and  he  had  a 
strong  desire  *'  to  turn  aside  and  see  this  great 
"  sight."  His  mind  was  impressed  with  the 
conviction  that  their  preservation,  in  such  a 
variety  of  regions,  and  under  such  a  diversity 
of  circumstances,  could  be  only  effected  by  the 
interposition  of  the  Divine  providence,  which 
reserved  them,  thus  d/stinct,  for  some  special 
and  important  purpose.  And  since  the  period 
of  time  for  the  accomplishment  of  this  purpose 
was  considered  by  many  to  be  fast  approaching, 
lie  wished  to  hear  the  sentiments  of  the  Jews 
from  their  own  lips,  and  to  learn  their  actual 
impressions,  as  to  their  present  circumstances 
and  future  hopes. 

In  his  Memorial  respecting  the  Syrian  Chris- 
tians, presented  to  Marquis  Wellesley,  the 
Author  also  noticed  the  existence  of  an  ancient 
colony  of  Jews  on  the  coast  of  Malabar,  parti- 
cularly at  Cochin  ;  and  as  this  place  had  recently 
become  a  part  of  the  Bi^itish  Empire,  by  conquest 
from  the  Dutch,  Lord  William  Bentinck,  then 
Governor  of  Madras,  who  had  received  letters 


respecting  tlje  ^etos.  2 1 9 

from  the  Supreme  Government,  was  pleased  to 
direct  the  civil  officer,  who  had  charge  of  the 
department  of  Cochin,*  to  afford  him  every 
aid  in  the  prosecution  of  his  Researches.  His 
first  Tour  to  Cochin  was  in  November,  I8O6, 
and  he  remained  in  the  country  till  February, 
I8O7.  He  again  visited  it  in  January,  1808.  He 
has  only  room,  in  this  present  Work,  to  intro- 
duce a  few  notes  from  his  Journal. 


'  Cochin,  Feb,  4,  IS07. 

*  I  have  been  now  in  Cochin,  or  its  vicinity,  for  upwards 
of  two  months,  and  Have  got  well  acquainted  with  the 
Jews.  They  do  not  live  in  the  city  of  Cochin,  but  in  a 
town  about  a  mile  distant  from  it,  called  Mattachery,  and 
Jews '-Town.  It  is  almost  wholly  inhabited  by  the  Jews, 
wlio  have  two  respectable  Synagogues.  Among  them 
are  some  very  intelligent  men,  who  are  not  ignorant  of 
the  history  of  nations.  There  are  also  Jews  here  from 
remote  parts  of  Asia,  so  that  this  is  the  fountain  of 
intelligence  concerning  that  people  in  the  East ;  there 
being  constant  communication  by  ships  with  the  Red 
Sea,  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  the  mouths  of  the  Indus. 
The  resident  Jews  are  divided  into  two  classes,  called  the 
Jerusalem  or    JVhlie  Jews ;    and  the   ancient  or  Black 

*  Thomas  Flo.wer,  Esq. 


[ 


'MO  Cljrfetian  Eesearcljes 

Jews.  The  White  Jews  reside  at  this  place.  The  Black 
Jews  have  also  a  Synagogue  here ;  b^t  the  great  body  of 
that  tribe  inhabit '  towns  in  the  interior  of  the  province. 
I  have  now  seen  most  of  both  classes.  My  inquiries 
refer  chiefly  to  their  antiquity,  their  manuscripts,  and 
their  sentiments  concerning  the  present  state  of  the 
Jewish  nation.* 


THE  JERUSALEM  OR  WHITE  JEWS. 

'  On  my  inquiry  into  the  antiquity  of  the  Wliite 
Jews,  they  first  delivered  to  me  a  narrative,  in  the 
Hebrew  Language,  of  their  arrival  in  Lidia,  which  has 
been  handed  down  to  them  from  tlieir  fathers  '^  and  then 
exljibited  their  ancient  brass  Plate,  containing  their 
charter  and  freedom  of  residence,  given  by  a  King  of 
Malabar.  The  following  is  the  narrative  of  the  events 
relating  to  then'  first  arrival.        ^ 

^  '^  Jfier  the  second  Temple  was  destroyed,  (vchkk  may 
God  speedily  rehidld  !)  our  fatliers,  dreading  the  Cpn- 
querors  wrath,  departed  from  Jerusalem,  a  numerous  body 
qf'mii,  ivomen,  priests,  and  Levites,  and  came  into  this 
land.  There  were  among  them  men  of  repute  for  learning 
and  wisdom  ;  and  God  gave  the  people  favour  in  the  sight 
of  the  King,  wlio  at  that  time  niigned  here,  and  he  granted 
them  a  place  to  dwell  in,  called  Cranganor.  He  allowed 
them  a  patriarchal  jurisdiction  within  the  district,  ivith 


'  tertain  privileges  of  nobility  ;  and  the  Royal  grant  was 
engraved,  according  to  the  cusiom  of  those  .  days,  on  a 
plate  of  brass.  This  teas  done  in  the  year  from  tlie  cre^ 
ation  of  the  ujorld,  4250,  (a.  d.  490  ;)^  and  this  pluie  of 
brass  we  still  have  in  jjossession.  Our  fore-fathers  con- 
tinued at  Cranganor  for  about  a  thousand  years,  and  the 
number  of  Heads  who  governed  were  seventy-tivo,  Sooh 
after  our  settlement,  oilier  Jews  followed  us  from  Judea,  ; 
and  among  these  came  that  man  of  great  wisdom,  Rabbi 
Samuel,  a  Levite  of  Jerusalem,  with  his  son,  Rabbi  Jehuda 
Levita,  They  brought  with  them  the  silver  trumpets, 
nmde  use  of  at  the  time  of  the  jubilee,  which  were 
saved  when  the  second  Temple  was  destroyed  ;  and  ice 
Irnve  heard  from  our  fathers,  that  tJiere  were  engraven 
upon  tJiose  trumpets  the  letters  of  the  ineffable  Name,*" 
There  joined  lis  also  from  Spain,  and  other  places,  from 
time  to  time,  certain  tribes  of  Jews,  who  had  heard  of  our 
ftrosperity.  But  at  last,  discord  arising  among  ourselves^ 
one  of  our  chiefs  called  to  his  assistance  an  Indian  King, 
who  came  upon  us  with  a  great  army',  destroyed  our  houses, 
palaces,  and  strong  holds,  dispossessed  us  of  Cranganor, 
killed  part  of  us,  and  carried  part  into  captivity .  By 
these  massacres  we  were  reduced  to  a  small  number. 
Some  if  the  exiles  came  and  dwelt  at  Cochin,  wJiere   ice 


*  This  circumstance  of  the  Jubilee  Trumpets  is  to  be  found 
in  a  similar  account  of  the  Jews  of  jVl^ilabar,  published  in  the 
"  History  of  the  Works  of  the  Learned/'  for  March  1699. 
Jt  is  not  necessary  to  suppose  that  these  trumpets  belonged  to 
the  Temple  ;  for  it  is  well  known^  that  in  every  corsidernb!© 
tQwn  in  Jud«a  th«r«  were  Jubilee  trumpets. 


222  €\)mtm  Ee^earcljes 

have  remained  ever  since,  suffering  great  clia7ige$  frofrt 
time  to  time.  There  are  amongst  vs  some  of  tJie  children 
of  Israel,  (Beni- Israel,)  who  came  from  the  country  of 
Ashkenaz,  from  Egypt,  from  Tsoha,  and  other  places, 
besides  those  who  formerly  inhabited  this  country." 

'The  native  annals  of  Malabar  confirm  the  foregoing' 
account,  in  the  principal  circumstances,  as  do  the 
Mahomedan  histories  of  the  latter  ages ;  for  the  Maho- 
medans  have  been  settled  here  in  great  numbers  since  the 
eighth  century. 

'  The  desolation  of  Cranganor  the  Jews  describe 
as  being  like  the  desolation  of  Jerusalem  in  miniature. 
They  were  first  received  into  the  country  with  some 
favour  and  confidence,  agreeably  to  the  tenor  of  the 
general  prophecy  concerning  the  Jews  (for  no  country 
was  to  reject  them)  and  after  they  had  obtained  some 
wealth,  and  attracted  the  notice  of  men,  they  are  pre- 
cipitated to  the  lowest  abyss  of  human  sufferings  and 
reproach.  The  recital  of  the  suife rings  of  the  Jews  at 
Cranganor  resembles  much  that  of  the  Jews  at  Jeru- 
salem, as  given  by  Josephus. 

'  I  now  requested  they  would  shew  me  their  brass 
plate.  Having  been  given  by  a  native  King,  it  is  writ- 
ten, of  course,  in  the  Malabaric  language  and  charac- 
ter; and  is  now  so  old  that  it  cannot  be  well  understood. 
The  Jews  preserve  a  Hebrew  translation  of  it,  which 
they  presented  to  me  :  hut  the  Hebrew  itself  is  very  dif- 
ficult, and  they  do  not  agree  among  themselves,  as  to 
the  meaning  of  some  words.  I  liave  employed,  by  their 
permission,   an  engraver  at   Cochin,  to  execute  a  fu' - 


respecting  tlje  f  etos.  22s 

simile  of  the  original  plate,  on  copper.*  This  ancient 
document  begins  in  the  following  manner  according  to 
the  Hebrew  translation  if 

'  "  III  tlw  peace  of  God,  tJie  King,  which  hath  made 
the  earth,  according  to  his  pleasure.  To  this  God,  I, 
ATRVI  BRAHjMIN,  have  lifted  up  my  hand,  and  haw 
granted,  by  this  deed,  which  many  hundred  thousayid  yeajs 

i^haJl  run /,  dwelJhig  in  Cranganor,  have  granted, 

#  tJie  thirty-sixth  year  of  my  reign,  in  the  strength  of 
poiver  I  have  granted,  in  tJie  strength  of  pouter  I  have 
-wen  in  inheritance,  to  JOSEPH  RABBAN." 

'  Then  follow  the  privileges  of  nobility ;  such  as  per- 
mission to  ride  on  the  elephant ;  to  have  a  herald  to  go 
before  to  announce  the  name  and  dignity ;  to  have  the 
lam.p  of  the  day ;  to  walk  on  carpets  spread  upon  the 
earth ;  and  to  have  trumpets  and  cymbals  sounded  before 
him.  King  Airvi  tlien  appoints  Joseph  Rabban  to  b<! 
'  Chief  and  Governor  of  the  houses  of  congregation, 
(the  Synagogues,)  and  of  certain  districts,  and  of  the 
sojourners  in  them.'  What  proves  the  consequence  oi" 
the  Jews  at  the  period  when  this  grant  was  made,  is, 
that  it  is  signed  by  seven  Kings  as  witnesses.  ^  And  to 
this  are  witnesses.  King  Bivada  Cubertin  Mitadin,  and 
he   is    King  of   TravancAire,     King   Airia  Nada   Mana 


*  The  original  is  engraved  on  both  sides  of  the  plate,  ilje 
fac- simile  forms  two  plates.  These  are  now  deposited  in  the 
Public  Library  at  tlie  University  of  Cambridge. 

f  A  Copy  of  this  Hebrew  translation  was  sent  to  the  Uni- 
versity with  the  other  MSS.— I  have  a  copy  in  my  pojsessioo^ 


2S4  Ci)ttstian  Ees^eanljes 

•Vikriin,  and  he  is  the  Samorin  King.  Veloda  Nada 
Archaiin  Sliatin,  and  he  is  King  of  Argot.  The  re- 
maining four  Kings  are  those  of  Palgatchery,  Colastri, 
Carhinahy  and  Vara-changur.  There  is  no  date  in  this 
document,  further  than  what  may  be  collected  from 
the  reign  of  the  Prince,  and  the  names  of  the  royal 
witnesses.  Dates  are  not  usual  in  old  Malabaric  wri- 
tings. One  fact  is  evident,  that  the  Jews  must  have 
existed  au  considerable  time  in  the  countrr,  before  they 
could  have  obtained  such  a  grant.  The  tradition  before 
mentioned  assigns  for  the  date  of  the  transaction,  the 
year  of  the  Creation  4250,  which  is,  in  Jewish  compu- 
tation, A.  D.  490.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  famous 
Malabaric  King,  Ceram  Pj^rumal,  made  grants  to  the 
Jews,  Christians,  and  Mahomedans,  during  his  reign; 
but  that  Prince  flourished  in  the  eighth  or  ninth  cen-. 
tury. 


THE  BLACK  JEWS. 

'  It  is  onlj'  necessary  to  look  at  the  countenance  of. 
the  Black  Jews  to  ])e  satisfied  that  their  ancestors  must 
have  arrived  in  India  many  ages  before  the  White  Jews. 
Their  Hindoo  complexion,  and  their  very  imperfiict 
resemblance  to  the  European  Jews,  indicate  that  they 
have  been  detached  from  the  parent  stock  in  Judca  many 
ages  before  the  Jews  in  the  W^st;  and  that  there  have 
feeen  interujarriages  with  families  not  Israelitish,     I  had 


heard  that  those  tribes,  which  hiid  passed  the  Iniui^ 
have  assimilated  so  mucli  to  the  customs  and  }iabit$  ci 
the  countries  in  whicli  they  live,  that  they  may  be  som/c- 
times  seen  by  a  traveller,  without  being  recognized  as  Jews* 
In  the  interior  towns  of  Malabar,  1  was  not  always  able 
to  distinguish  the  Jew  from  the  Hindoo.  I  hence  pej- 
ceivcd  how  easy  it  may  be  to  mistake  the  tribes  of  Jewish, 
descent  among  the  Affghans  and  other  nations  in  the  nor- 
thern parts  of  Hindostan.  The  White  Jews  look  upoQ 
the  Black  Jews  as  an  inferior  race,  and  as  not  of  a  p(^re 
cast :  which  plainly  demonstrates  that  they  do  not  spring 
from  a  common  stock  in  India*  , 

*  The  Black  Jews  communicated  to  me  mtich  interest- 
ing intelligence  concerning  their  brethren. the  ancient 
Israelites  in  the  East:  traditional^indeed  in  its  nature, 
but  in  general  illustrative  of  true  history.  They  re- 
counted the  names  of  niany  other  small  colonies  resident 
in  northern  India,  Tartary,  and  China,  and  gave  me  a 
written  list  of  sixty-fivk  places.  I  conversed  with 
those  who  had  lately  visited  many  of  these  stations,  and 
were"  about  to  return  again.  The  Jews  have  a  never- 
ceasing  communication  with  each  other  in  the  East. 
Their  families  indeed  are  generally  stationary^  being 
subject  to  despotic  princes;  but  the  men,  move  much 
nbout  in  a  commercial  capacity ;  and  the  same  individual 
will  pass  through  many  extensive  countries.  So  that 
when  any  thing  interesting  to  tlie  nation  of  the  Jews 
takes  place,  the  rumour  will  pass  rapidly  throughout  all 
Asia. 

'  I  enquired  concerning  their  brethren,  the  Ten  Tribes.     , 
They  said    that  it  was   commonly  believed  among  theiw, 


226  C!)rfet(an  JB^t^mtW 

that  the  great  body  of  the  Israelites  are  to  be  found  ia 
Chaldea,  and  in  the  countries  contiguous  to  it,  being  the 
very  places  whither  they  were  first  carried  into  captivity ; 
that  some  few  families  had  migrated  into  regions  more 
remote,  as  to  Cochin  and  Rajapoor,  in  India,  and  to 
other  places  yet  farther  to  the  East ;  but  that  the  bulk 
of  the  nation,  though  now  much  reduced  in  number, 
had  not  to  this  day  removed  two  thousand  miles  from 
Samaria. — Among  the  Black  Jews  I  could  not  find  many 
Copies  of  the  Bible.  They  informed  me,  that  in  certain 
places  of  the  remote  dispersion,  their  brethren  have  but 
some  small  portions  of  the  Scriptures,  and  that  the 
proplietical  books  were  rare  5  but  that  they  themselves^ 
from  their  vicinity  to  the  White  Jews,  have  been  sup- 
plied, from  time  to  time,  with  the  whole  of  the  Old 
Testament. 

*  From  these  communications  I  plainly  perceive  tho 
important  duty  which  now  deVolves  on  Christians  pos- 
sessing the  art  of  printing,  to  send  to  the  Jews  in  the 
East,  copies  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  and  particularly 
of  the  prophetical  books.  If  only  the  prophecies  of 
Isaiah  and  Daniel  were  published  among  them,  the  effect 
might  be  great.  They  do  not  want  the  Law  so  much. 
But  the  prophetical  books  would  appear  among  them 
with  some  novelty,  particularly  in  a  detached  form  j  and 
could  be  easily  circulated  through  the  remotest  parts  of 
Asia.* 


tifflijwttnff  tlje  Sfto0»  29if 


MANUSCRIPTS. 

*  Almost  ill  every  house  I  find  Hebifevv  books,  printed 
or  manuscript;  particularly  among  the  White  Jews; 
Most  of  the  printed  Hebrew  of  Europe  has  found  its 
way  to  Cochin,  through  the  medium  of  the  Portuguese 
and  Dutch  commerce  of  former  times.  When  1  ques- 
tioned the  Jews  concerning  the  old  copies  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, which  had  been  read  in  the  Synagogues  from  age 
to  age  'j  some  told  me  that  it  was  usual  to  bury  them 
when  decayed  by  time  and  use.  Others  said  that  this 
was  not  always  the  case*  I  despaired  at  first  of  being 
able  to  procure  any  of  the  old  biblical  writings  ;  but 
after  I  had  been  in  the  country  about  six  weeks,  and 
tliey  found  that  I  did  not  expect  to  obtain  them  merely 
as  presents,  some  copies  were  revovered:  The  White 
Jews  had  only  the  Bible  written  on  parchment,  and  of 
modern  appearance,  in  their  Synagogue  ;  but  1  was  in- 
fornicd  that  the  Black  Jews  possessed  formerly  coJDicS 
written  on  Goat  Skins ;  and  that  in  the  Synagogue  of  the 
Black  Jews  there  was  an  old  Record  Chest,  into  which 
the  decayed  copies  of  their  Scriptures  had  been  throwHo 
I  accordingly  went  to  the  Synagogue  with  a  few  of  the 
chief  men,  and  examined  the  contents,  which  some 
of  them  said  they  had  never  looked  at  bef<.»re,  and  dii 
not  seem  greatly  to  value.  The  manuscripts  were  of 
various  kinds,  on  parchment,  goat-skins,  and  cottou 
paper*      1    negotiated   for    them   hastily*   and   Wfappe^ 

a2 


228  Cljtfetian  i&m^xtW 

them  up  id  two  cloths,  and  gave  them  to  the  Jews 
to  carry  home  to  my  house.  I  had  observed  some 
murmuring  amongst  the  bye-standers  in  the  Synagogue, 
while  I  was  examining  the  chest :  and  before  we  appeared 
in  the  streets,  the  alarm  had  gone  forth,  that  the  Chris- 
tians were  robbing  the  Synagogue  of  the  Law.  There 
were  evident  symptoms  of  tumult,  and  the  women  and 
children  collected  and  were  following  us.  I  requested 
some  of  the  more  respectable  Jews  to  accompany  me 
out  of  the  town ;  but  1  had  scarcely  arrived  at  my  own 
house  at  Cochin,  when  the  persons  who  had  permitted 
me  to  take  the  manuscripts,  came  in  evident  agitation, 
and  told  me  I  must  restore  them  immediately  to  calm  the 
popular  rage.  Others  had  gone  to  complain  to  the  Chief 
Magistrate,  Thomas  Flower,  Esq.  And  now  I  had  lost 
my  spoil,  but  for  the  friendly  counsel  and  judicious  con- 
duct of  Mr.  Flower.  He  directed  that  all  the  manu- 
scripts should  be  delivered  up  to  him,  and,  that  there 
should  be  no  further  proceedings  on  the  subject  with- 
out his  authority.  To  this  the  Jews  agreed.  There  was 
some  plea  of  justice  on  my  side,  as  it  was  understood  that 
i  had  given  a  valuable  consideration.  In  the  mean  time 
he  allowed  a  few  days  to  pass,  that  the  minds  of  the 
people  might  become  tranquil,  and  he  then  summoned 
some  of  the  more  liberal  men,  and  gave  them  a  hearing 
on  the  subject.  In  the  mean  time  I  thought  it  prudent 
to  retire  from  Cochin,  for  a  day  or  two,  and  went  to  Cran- 
ganor,  about  sixteen  miles  off,  to  Colonel  Macaulay,  the 
British  'Resident  at  Travancore,  who  was  then  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Eirummond,  the  Collector  of  Malabar.  On 
my  return   to  Cochin,   Mr.  Flower  informed  me  that  all 


tespecting  tije  feU)0. 

the  manuscripts  were  to  be  returned  to  my  house  ;  that 
i  was  to  select  wliat  was  old,  and  of  little  use  to  the  Jews, 
and  to  give  back  to  them  what  was  new.  The  affair 
ended,  however,  in  the  Jews  permitting  me  generously  to 
retain  some  part  of  the  new, 

'  I  have  since  made  a  tour  through  the  towns  of  the 
Black  Jews  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  Tritoor,  Paroor, 
Chenotta,  and  MaleJu  I  have  procured  a  good  many 
manuscripts,  chiefly  in  the  Rabbinical  character,  some  of 
which  the  Jews  themselves  cannot  read ;  and  I  do  not 
know  what  to  say  to  their  traditions.  A  copy  of  the 
Scriptures  belonging  to  Jews  of  the  East^  who  might  be 
supposed  to  have  had  no  communication  with  Jews  in  the 
West,  has  been  long  considered  a  desideratum  in  Europe ; 
for  the  Western  Jews  have  been  accused  by  some  learned 
men  of  altering  or  omitting  certain  words  in  the  Hebrew 
text,  to  invalidate  the  argument  of  Christians.  But  Jews 
in  the  East,  remote  from  the  controversy,  would  have  no 
motive  for  such  corruptions.  One  or  tvyo  of  the  MSS. 
which  I  have  just  procured,  will  probably  be  of  some 
service  in  this  respect.  One  of  them  is  an  old  copy  of 
the  Books  of  Moses,  written  on  a  roll  of  leather.  The 
skins  are  sewed  together,  and  the  roll  is  about  forty-eight 
feet  in  length.  It  is,  in  some  places,  worn  out,  and  the 
holes  have  been  sewed  up  with  pieces  of  parchment. 
Some  of  the  Je\Vs  suppose  that  this  roll  came  priginally 
from  Senna,  in  Arabia ;  others  have  heard  that  it  was 
brought  from  Cashmire.  The  Cabul  Jews,  who  travel 
into  the  interior  of  China,  say  that  in  some  Synagogues 
the  Law  is  still  written  on  a  roll  of  leather,  made  of 
Goats'  skins  dyed  red:,^^not  on  vellum,  but  on  a  sof; 


9.30  €l)mtim  Ersearcljes 

flexible  leather  ;  which  agrees  with  the  description  of  the 
roll  above  mentioned.'* 

'  Ever  since  I  cnme  among  these  people,  and  heard 
their  sentiments  on  the  prophecies,  and  their  confident 
hopes  of  returning  to  Jerusalem,,  I  have  thought  much 
pn^  the  means  of  obtaining  a  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  the  Hebrew  language,  and  circulating  it  among 
them  and  their  hrethren  in  the  East.  I  had  heard  that 
there  were  one  or  two  translations  of  the.  Testament 
ill  their  own  possession,  but  they  were  studiously  kept 
out  of  my  sight,  for  a  considerable  time.  At  last^  how- 
ever, they  were  produced  by  individuals  in  a  private  man- 
ner. One  of  them  is  written  in  the  small  Rabbinical  or 
Jerusalem  character;  the  other  in  a  large  square  letter, 
'i'he  history  of  the  former  is  v-ery  interesting.  The 
translator,  a  learned  Jiabbi,  conceiving  the  design  of 
making  an  accurate  version  of  the  New  Testament,  for 
the  express  purposes  of  confuting  it,  .  His  style  is  copious 
and  elegant,  like  that  of  a  master  in  the  language,  and 
the  translation  is  in  general  faithful.    It  does  not  ai^deed 

*  Mr.  Yeates,  formerly  of  All  Souls  College,  Oxford,  and 
editor  of  tii^  Hebrew  Grammar,  has  been  em[)loyed  by  the, 
author  for  the  kst  two  years,  at  Cambridge,  in  arranging  and 
collating  the  Hebrew  and  Syriac  MSS.  brought  from  India, 
His  collation  of  the  Roll  of  the  Pentateuch  above  mentioned, 
is  now  finished,  and  will  form  a  volume  in  quarto,  7'h^ 
University  has,  with  great  liberality,  resolved  that  this  book 
jshall  be  printed  at  the  expence  of  the  University,  for  the  bene- 
fit, <*  Mr.  Yeates;  and  Dr.  Marsb,  the  learned" Editor  of 
Iv!  lelis,  has  written  a  Note  on  the  antiquity  and  importance^ 
;  %  tfce  manuscript,  which  will  form  a  Preface  to  the  work. 


respecttn  jj  ttje  3?eto5*  52  3 1 

appear  that  he  wished  to  pervert  tlie  meaning  of  a  single    ^ 
sentence ;  but  depending  on  his  own  abilities  and  renown 
as  a  scholar,  he  hoped  to  be  able  to  controvert  its  dpcr 
trines,  and  to  triumph  over  it  by  fair  contest  in  tl^e  pre- 
sence of  the  world.     There  is  yet  a  mystery  about  thQ 
circumstances   of    this   man's   death,   which    time  \yill 
perhaps  unfold :  the  Jews  are  not  inclined  to   say  mucli 
to  me  about  him.     His  version  is  complete,  and  writt^u 
with  greater  freedom  and  ease  towards  -the  end  than  at 
the  beginning.     How   astonishing   it  is  that  an  enemy 
should  haye  done  this  !  that  he  should  have  persevere4 
resolutely  and  calmly  to  the  end  of  his  work  !  not  indeed 
always  calmly  j  for  there  is  sometimes  a  note  of  e5;qcra- 
tion  on  the  Sacred  Person  who  is  the  subject  of  it,   as  i^ 
to  unburthen  his  mind,  and  ease  the  conflict  ofhisl^^bour- 
ing  soul.     At  the  close  of  the  Gospels,  as  it   afraid  of 
the  converting  power  of  his  own  translation,  '  he   calls 
heaven  to  witness  that  he  had  undertaken  the  work  with 
the  professed  design  of  opposing  the   Epicureans;'   by 
which  term  he  contemptously  means  the  Christians. 

'  I  have  had  many  interesting  conferences  with  th^ 
Jews,  on  the  subject  of  their  present  state ;  and  have 
been  much  struck  with  two  circumstances  ;  their  constant 
reference  to  the  DESOLATION  of  Jerusalem,  and  their 
confident  hope  that  it  will  be  one  day  REBUILT.  The 
desolation  of  the  Holy  City  is  ever  present  to  the  minds 
of  the  Jev;^,  when  the  subject  is  concerning  themselves 
as  a  Nation ;  for,  though  without  a  king,  and  without  a 
country,  they  constantly  speak  of  the  unity  of  their  nation. 
Distance  of  time  and  place  seems  to  have  no  effect  in 
f)bliterating  the  remembrance  of  the  Desolation.     I  often 


;j^^2  djrtstian  Kesrarcljes 

thought  of  the  verse  in  the  Psahiis,'  '  If  I  forget  thee,  O 
Jerusalem,  let  my  riglit  liand  forget  her  cunning.'  They 
speak  of  Palestine  a^  heing  close  at  hand,  and  easily 
accessible.  It  is  becoibean  ordinance  of  their  Rabbins  in 
^oiiie 'places,  that  when  a  man  builds  a  new  house,  he 
shall  leave  a  small  part  of  it  unfinished,  as  an  emblem  of 
rnin,  and  write  on  it  these  words,  Zecher  Lachorchan,  i.  e. 
In  MEMORY  of  the  DESOLATION. 

'  Their  hopes  of  rebuilding  the  walls  of  Jerusalem, 
the  THIRD  and  last  time,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Messiah,  or  of  a  seeohd  Cyrus,  before  his  coming,  are 
always  expressed  w^ith  great  confidence.  They  have 
a  general  impression,  that  the  period  of  tWir  liberation 
<^rorn  the  Heathen  is  nor  very  remote  J  and  they  consi- 
der {he  present  commotions  in  the  earth  as  gradually 
ibcrrning  their  bonds.*  '  It  is,'  say  they,  ^  a  sure  sign 
of  cur  approaching'rcstoration,  that  in  almost  all  coun- 
tries there  is  a  general  uklaxation  of  the  persecu- 
tion against  us,'  I  pressed  strongly  upon  them  the 
prophecies  of  Daniel.  In  former  times  that  Prophet -was 
not  in  repute  among  the  Jews,  because  he  predicted  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah  at  the  end  of  tlie  *  seventy  weeks  ; 
and  his  book  has  been  actually  removed  from  the  list 
of  prophetic  writings,  and  remains,  to  this  day,  among 
the  Hagiographa,  such  as  Job.  the  Psalms,  the  Proverbs, 
Ruth ;  but  he  now  begins  to  be  popular  among  those 
who  have  studied  him,  because  he  has  predicted  that 
the  ^  accomplishment  of  the  indignation  against  the  holy 
people'  is  near  at  hand.  The  strongest  argument  to 
press  upon  the  mind  of  a  Jew  at  this  period,  is  to 
explain  to  his  conviction  Daniel's  period  of  \2G0 
years;  and  then  to  shew  the  analogy  which  it  bears  tc» 


ttspecttng  tije  fetos.  233 

ihe  period  of  the  Evangelist  John,  concerning  the  Papal 
and  Mahomedari  powers;  with  the  state  of  which  the 
Jews  are  well  acquainted. 

'  I  passed  through  the  burial  ground  of  the  Jews  the 
other  day.  Some  of  the  tombs  are  handsomely  con- 
structed, and  have  Hebrew  inscriptions  in  prose  and 
verse.  'Phis  mansion  of  the  dead  is  called  by  the  Jews, 
Beth  Haiim,  or^  ^  The  House  of  the  Living/ 

'  Being  much  gratified  with  my  visit  to  the  Jews  of 
Malabar,  and  desirous  to  maintain  some  communication 
with  them,  I  have  engaged  a  very  respectable  piember 
of  their  community  to  accompany  me  with  his  servant 
to  Bengal,  and  to  remain  with  me  in  the  capacity  of 
llehrew  ^oonshee,  or  teacher,  until  my  return  to  Eng* 
land.  Observing  that  in  the  houses  of  the  White  Jews 
there  are  many  volumes  of  printed  Hebrew,  mostly  of 
the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  which  are  rarely 
jnet  with  in  England,  I  have  employed  Misraki,  that  is 
the  name  of  my  Moonshec,  to  collect  some  of  the  most 
valuable.* 

At  the  beginning*  of  the  following  year  ( 1 808) 
the  AutlVor  visited  Cochin  a  second  time,  and 
proceeded  afterwards  to  Bombay,  where  he  bad 
an  opportunity  of  meeting  with  some  very  in- 
telligent men  of  the  Jewish  nation.  They  bad 
heard  of  his  conferences  with  the  Cochin  Jews, 
and  were  desirous  to  discuss  certain  topics,  par- 
ticularly the  propliecies  of  Isaiah  ;  and  they 
engaged  in  them  with  far  more  spirit  and  frank- 
Pt:§6,  he  thought,  than  their  brethren  at  Cochin 


234  Ci)ugtian  Hesearcljes 

had  done.  They  told  him,  that  if  he  Arould 
take  a  walk  to  the  Bazar  in  the  suburb,  without 
the  walls  of  Bombay  town,  he  would  find  a  Sy- 
nagogue without  a  Sepher  2'ora,  or  book  of  tbe 
Law.  He  did  so,  and  found  it  to  be  the  case. 
The  minister  and  a  few  of  the  Jews  assembled, 
and  shewed  him  their.Synagogue,  in  which  there 
were  some  loose  leaves  of  prayers  in  manuscript, 
but  no  book  of  the  Law.  The  Author  did  not 
understand  that  they  disapproved  of  the  Law; 
but  they  had  no  copy  of  it.  They  seemed  to 
have  little  knowledge  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures 
or  history.  This  only  proved  what  he  had  been 
often  told,  that  small  portions  of  the  Jewish 
nation  melt  away  from  time  to  time,  and  arc 
absorbed  in  the  mass  of  the  heathen  world. 
Nor  is  this  any  argument  against  the  truth  of 
the  prophecy,  which  declares  that  the\^  should 
remain  a  separate  and  distinct  people;  for  these 
are  mere  exceptions.  Conversions  to  Christianity 
in  the  early  ages  would  equally  militate  against 
the  prediction,  taken  in  an  absolute  sense. 


THE  TEN  TRIBES. 

The  Tribes  of  Israel  are  no  longer  to  be  in- 
quired after  by  name.     The  purpose,  for  which 


respecting  flje  3feto£(.   '         ^35 

they  were  once  divided  into  tribes  was  accom- 
plished when  the  genealogy  of  the  Messiah  was 
traced  to  the  stem  of  David.  Neither  do  the 
Israelites  themselves  know  certainly  from  what 
families  they  are  descended.  And  this  is  a  chief 
argument  against  the  Jews,  to  which  the  Au- 
thor never  heard  that  a  Jew  could  make  a  sen- 
sible reply.  The  tribe  of  Jtida kwaiS  selected  as 
that  from  which  the  IMessiah  should  come ; 
and  behold,  the  Jews  do  not  know  which  of 
them  are  of  the  tribe  of  Judah. 

While  the  Author  was  amongst  the  Jews  of 
Malabar,  lie  made  frequent  inquiries  concerning 
the  Ten  Tribes.  When  lie  mentioned  that  it 
was  the  opinion  of  some,  that  they  had  mi- 
grated from  the  Chaldean  provinces,  he  was 
asked  to  what  country  we  supposed  they  had 
gone,  and  whether  we  had  ever  heard  of  their 
moving  in  a  great  army  on  such  an  expedition. 

It  will  be  easy  perhaps  to  shew,  that  the 
great  body  of  the  Ten  Tribes  remain  to  this  day 
in  the  countries  to  which  tljey  were  first  carried 
captive.  If  we  can  discover  where  they  were 
in  the  first  century  of  the  Christian  Era,  which 
was  seven  hundred  years  after  tlie  carrying 
away  to  Babylon,  and  again  where  they  were  in 
the  fifth  century,  we  certainly  may  be  able  to 
trace  them  up  to  this  time. 


256'  €\)vMmx  Kesearclje^ 

Josephus,  who  wrote  in  the  reign  of  Vcs-v 
sian,  recites  a  speech  made  Ijy  King  Agrippa 
the  Jews,  wherein  he  exhorts  thern  to  submit 
to  the  Romans,  and  expostulates  with  them  in 
these  words: — "  What,  do  you  snetch  your 
**  hopes  beyond  the  river  Euphrates?  Do  any 
"  of  you  think  that  your  fellow-tribes  wil4 
"  come  to  your  aid  out  of  Adiabene  ?  Besides, 
*'  if  they  would  come,  the  Parthian  will  not 
**  permit  it."  {Jos,  de  Bell.  Lib.  ii.  c.  28.)  We 
learn  from  this  oration,  dehvered  to  the  Jews 
themselves,  and  by  a  King  of  the  Jews,  that 
the  Ten  Tribes  were  then  captive  in  Media, 
under  the  Persian  Princes, 

In  the  fifth  century,  Jerome,  author  of  the 
Vulgate,  treating  of  the  dispersed  Jews  in  his 
Notes  upon  Hosea,  has  these  words:  "  Unto  this 
"  day,  the  Ten  Tribes  are  subject  to  the  Kings 
"■  of  the  Persians,  nor  has  their  captivity  ever 
"  been  loosed."  (Tom.  vi.  p.  7.)  And  again 
he  says,  "  The  Ten  Tribes  inhabit  at  this  day 
^'  the  cities  and  mountains  of  the  Medcs." 
Tom.  vi.  p.  80. 

There  is  no  room  left  for  doubt  on  this  sub- 
ject. Have  we  heard  of  any  expedition  of 
the  Jews  ^*  going  forth  from  that  country, 
**  like  the  Goths  and  Huns,  *' to  conquer  na* 
tions  ?'    Have  we  ever  heard  of  their  rising  in 


regperttncj  t\)t  f  etoss.  S37 

iasurrection  to  burst  the  bands  of  their  capti- 
vity? To  this  day,  botli  Jews  and  Christians 
are  generally  in  a  state  of  captivity  in  these 
despotic  countries.  No  family  dares  to  leave 
tlie  kingdom  without  permission  of  the  King.* 

Mahomedanism  reduced  the  number  of  the 
Jews  exceedingly  :  It  \ias  presented  to  them  at 
the  point  of  the  sword.  We  know  that  multi- 
tudes of  Christians  received  it;  for  example,  ^ 
the  chief  part  of  "  the  seven  Churches  of  Asia;" 
and  we  may  believe,  that  an  equal  proportion 
of  Jews  were  proselyted  by  the  same  means. 
In  the  provinces  of  Cashmire  and  Affghanistan, 
some  of  the  Jews  submitted  to  great  sacrifices 
rather  than  change  their  religion,  and  they 
remain  Jews  to  this  day ;  but  the  greater  num- 
ber yielded,  in  the  course  of  ages,  to  the  pow- 
er of  the  reigning  religion.  Their  counte- 
nance, their  language,  their  names,  their  rites 
and  observances,  and  their  history,  all  conspire 
to  establish  the  fact.f  We  may  judge  in  some 
degree    of    the   number    of    those   who  would 


*  Joseph  Emin,  a  Christian  well  known  in  Calcutta,  wished 
to  bring  his  family  from  Ispahan  ;  but  he  could  not  effect  it, 
tliough  our  Government  interested  itself  in  his  behalf. 

t  Mr,  Forster  was  so  much  struck  with  the  general  ap- 
pearance, garb,  and  manners  of  the  Casbmtrians,  as  to   think. 


238  €i)vmmx  Wimmtl)t^ 

yield  to  the  sword  of  Mahomed,  and  conform, 
in    appearance  at   least,  to  what  was  'called  a 
siste?*  Religion,  from   the  nun)bcr   of  those  who 
conformed  to  the  Christian  lleligion,  under  the 
influence  of  the  Inquisition  in  Spain  and  Por- 
tugal.    Orobio,  who  was  himself  a  Jew^  states 
in    his    History,    that   there    were    upwards   of 
twenty  thousand  Jews   in    Spain    alone,  who, 
from  fear  of  the  Inquisition,  professed  Christi- 
anity, some  of  whom  were  Priests  and  Bishops. 
The  tribes  of  the  Affg-han  race  are  very  numerous 
and  of  dilfercnt  casts  ;  and  it  is  probable,   that 
the     proportion    which   is    of    Jewish   descent 
is  not  great.     The  Atfghan   nations   extend  on 
both  sides  of  the  Indus,  and  inhabit  the  moun- 
tainous region,  commencing  in  Western  Persia. 
They  (hffer  in  langu;ige,  custonis,   religion,  and 
countenance,  and  have  little  knowledge  of  each 
other.     Some  tribes    have   tJ^e  countenance    of 
the  Persian,  and  some  of  the  Hindoo  ;  and  some 
tribes  are  evidently  of  Jewish  extraction. 

Calculating  then  the  number  of  Jews,  who 
now  inhabit  the  provinces  of  ancient  Chaldea, 
or     the     contiguous    countries,     and  who    still 


without  any  previfjus  knowledge  of  the  fact,  that  he  had  been 
suddenly  transported  among  a  nation  of  Jews.  See  Foster's 
Travels:- 


tegpetting  tlje  f  etosi.  239 

profess  Judaism  ;  and  the  number  of  those  who 
embraced  Mahomedanism,  or  some  form  of  it, 
in  the  same  regions;  we  may  be  satisfied, 
*^'  That  the  greater  part  of  the  Ten  Tribes, 
^'  which  nozo  existy  are  to  be  found  in  the  coun- 
**  tries  of  their  first  captivity.'* 


RESTORATION  OF  THE  JEWS. 

That  many  of  the  Jews,  w^hen  liberated  from 
their  state  of  oppression,  will  return  to  Judca, 
appears  probable  from  the  general  Icnor  of  pro- 
phecy, .and  from  their  own  natural  and  uncon- 
querable attachment  to  that  country  ;  but  we 
know  not  for  what  purpose  they  should  all 
return  thither ;  and  it  is  perfectly  unnecessary 
to  contend  for  the  fact,  or  to  impose  it  as  a 
tenet  of  taith.  We  perceive  no  reason  why 
they  should  leave  the  nations  in  which  they 
live,  when  these  nations  are  no  longer  heathen. 
Nor  is  it  possible,  in  numerous  cases,  to  ascer- 
tain who  are  Jews,  and  who  are  not.  It  is  also 
true,  that  before  Judea  could  nourish  the  \vhole 
body  of  Jews,  even  in  their  i)resent  reduced 
state,  the  ancient  FEiiTrLiTv  which  was  taken. 
^way  according  to  prophecy,  (Dcut.  xxviii.  {^3 
ind  :J8)  must   be  restored  by  miracle.     But  we 


^40  Cftmtian  Eeseavci)e0 

have  no  warrant  to  look  far  a  miracle  under  th^ 
fmished  dispensation  of  the  Gospel.  We  pos- 
sess "  the  MORE  sure  word  of  prophecy,"  (2  Pet. 
i.  iO,)  and  look  not  for  signs  and  wonders.  We 
expect  no  miracle  for  the  Jews,  but  that  of  their 
conversion  to  Christianity  ;  which  will  be  a 
greater  miracle,  than  if  the  first  Temple  Avere 
to  rise  in  its  gold  and  costly  stones,  and  Solo^ 
mon  were  again  to  reign  over  them  in  all  his 
glory. 

Much  caution  is  also  required  in  stating  ^f 
them  our  opinions  concerning  a  Millennium, or 
period  of  universal  truth  and  felicity.  It  was 
prophecied  to  Israel,  about  seven  hundred  year^ 
before  the  coming  of  the  IMessiah,  that  a  time 
should  be,  ''  when  nation  should  no  longer  lift 
f'  the  sword  against  nation,  neither  should  men 
'^  learn  war  any  more :"  when  '^  the  knowledge 
'^  of  the  Lord,  (which  was  then  confmed  to 
'^  Judea,)  should  cover  the  earth,  as  the  waters 
'*  cover  the  sea;"  and  when  "  they  should  not 
**  teach  every  man  his  neighbour,  saying, 
"  Know  the  Lord,  for  all  should  know  him 
*'  from  the  least  to  the  greatest."  These  pro- 
phecies were  fulfilled  generally  when  the 
Messiah  appeared.  The  Gospel  of  Peace  was 
))rcached  to  men,  and  "  the  sound  thereof  went 
*'  to  the  ends  of  the  earth."     The  last  predic- 


tion,  whicli  is  the  clearest  and  strongest  of  al!,. 
*'  They  shall  not  teach  every  man  iiis  neigh- 
*^  hour,  saying,  Know  the  Lord,  for  all  sltaU 
*^  knuw  him,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,**  is 
expressly  quoted  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  (tieb.  viii. 
II.)  as  having  been  already  fulfilled  by  the 
manifestation  of  Christ,  who  abrogated  the  old 
covenant  with  Israel,  which  was  coniined  to 
FEW,  and  made  a  new  covenant  with  the  world, 
which  was  extended  to  all. 

It  is  believed,  however,  that  the  predictions 
above  recited  will  receive  a  more  particular  ac- 
complishment hereafter,  and  that  the  glory  even 
of  the  primitive  Church  shall  be  far  surpassed. 
But  it  does  not  appear,  that  the  conversion  of 
men  at  any  future  period  will  be  universal. 
It  is  evident,  indeed,  from  the  sure  word  of 
prophecy,  that  there  w^ll  be  a  long  time  of 
general  holiness  and  peace,  which  will  succeed 
to  the  present  reign  of  vice  and  misery,  proba- 
bly "a thousand  years,'*  during  which,  righte- 
ousness will  be  as  common  as  wickedness  is 
now ;  and  further,  that  this  period  is  at  hand^ 
even  at  the  doorJ^  But  I  see  no  ground  for  be- 
lieving that  such  righteousness  will  be  universal. 


■^  See  Scott's  Bibie,  Rev,  xs:,  4. 


or  that  this  life  will  ever  be  other  than  a  slate 
of  probation  and  trial  to  qualify  for  "  meetness 
*'  for  the  heavenly  kingdom."  Our  Saviour  sets 
forth,  in  different  places,  the  character  of  his 
Church,  to  the  end  of  time,  and  that  character 
is  always  the  same.  The  Gospel  he  compares  to 
"  seed  sown  by  the  sower,  some  on  good  and 
some  on  bad  ground."  Tliose  who  hear  this 
Gospel  he  con^pares  to  men  building  on  the 
rockj  or  on  the  sand ;  travelling  in  the  broad,  or 
in  the  narrow  way ;  and  to  zvJieat  and  tares 
growing  in  the  same  field.  "The  field  is  the 
world,"  saith  our  Lord  ;  *'  the  good  seed  are  the 
children  of  the  kingdom  :  the  tares  are  the 
*'  children  of  the  wicked  one:  the  eiiemy  that 
"  spwed  them  is  the  devil  :  the  harvest  is  the 
**  end  of  the  world;  and  the  leapers  are  the 
"  angels."  Matth.  xiii.  3y.  This  we  believe  to 
he  a  picture  of  the  visible  Cliurch  to  the  end  of 
time. 

In  regard  to  the  progress,  conflict,  and  final 
CNtent  of  the  Gospel,  our  Saviour  notices  all 
tliese  circumstances  generally  in  his  last  dis- 
course to  his  disciples.  \\\  the  twenty  fourth 
chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  he  gives  an  (•pitome  of 
his  more  detailed  prophecy  in  the  Book  of  Re- 
velation, lie  foretels  that  tlfe^  shall  be  "  wars 
*'  and  rumours  of  wars,   persecutions,   famines, 


re^pectmcj  tlje  3feto0.  243 

**  pestilences,  earthquakes,  false  prophets,  and 
**  apostasies  :"  and  then  he  adds,  "And  thisGos- 
*'*  pel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all 
"  the  world  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations  : 
"  and  then  shall  the  end  come." 

To  suppose  that  there  will  be  a  period  when 
the  Church  on  earth  shall  be  no  longer  mili- 
tant, is  to  suppose  that  a  time  will  come  when 
the  Christian  may  die  without  being  able  to  say, 
**  I  have  foudit  the  sjood  fio-ht;''  when  there 
will  be  little  inward  corruption,  and  little  out- 
ward opposition  ;  little  vestige  of  the  old  Adam, 
in  the  new  race,  and  little  use  for  the  old  Bible,  in 
the  new  state  of  things.  Let  us  interpret  Scrip- 
ture soljerly.  When  the  Millennium  arrives, 
knowledge  and  holiness  will  be  general ;  but 
not  universal.  Pei'fection  is  to  be  attained,  not 
in  this  world,  but  in  heave m 


On  the  Author's  return  to  England,  he  found 
that  a  Society  had  been  instituted  for  the  Con- 
\ersion  of  the  Jews:  and.  he  w^as  not  a  little 
surprised  to  hear  that  some  Christians  had  op- 
posed it:   institution,      lie  was  less  surpr.sed  at 


244  Ct)ris5tian  iResJeatcljes 

this,  however,  when  he  was  informed  that  ob' 
jections  had  been  brought  against  the  Society 
for  the  circulation  of  the  Bible.  It  is  possible 
to  urge  poUtical  arguments  against  Christianity 
itself.  Such  a  spirit  as  tins  does  not  seem  en- 
titled to  much  courtesy  ;  for  it  springs  directly 
from  this  assumption,  Tliat  the  Bible  is  not  from 
God,  or,  That  there  is   something  greater  thaw 

TRUTH. 

The  grand  object,  which  now  engages  the 
attention  of  the  Jewish  Institution,  is  a  Trans- 
lation of  the  New  Testament  into  tiie  Hebrew 
Language.  To  assist  them  iu  this  important 
work,  a  copy  of  the  IManuscript  found  in  Ma- 
labar, now  commonly  called  the  Traxancort 
Testament^  has  been  presented  to  them.*"  This 
manuscript  has  been  fairly  transcribed  by  Mr. 
Ycates,  of  Cambridge,  in  the  square  Ilebiew 
character,  and  forms  three  volumes,  quarto. 
The  question  now  under  consideration  by  tlic 
Society  is,  whether  it  shall  be  received  as  the 
hasis  for  tlie  general  translation.  The  first 
sheet  of  the  intended  version  has  already  been 
printed  off,  for  the  purpose  of  being  submitted 
fts  a  specimen   to   the    best  Hebrew  scholars  in 


■*  S»e  pnge  207 


tljc  kingdom,  both  Jews  and  Christians;  in 
order  that  it  may  go  forth  in  as  perfect  a  form 
as  may  be.  So  that  it  is  possible,  that  before 
the  end  of  the  present  year,  the  Four  Gospels 
will  be  published,  and  copies  sent  to  the  Jews 
in  the  East,  as  the  fiust-fruits  of  the  Jewish 
Institution.  It  is  very  remarkable,  that  this 
should  be  the  very  year  which  was  calculated 
long  ago,  by  a  learned  man,  as  that  in  whicli 
"  the  times  of  happiness  to  Israel "  should  begin. 
In  the  year  I677,  Mr.  Samuel  Lee,  a  scholar 
of  enlarged  views,  who  had  studied  the  pro- 
phetical writings  with  great  attention,  pub- 
lished a  small  volume,  entitled,  "  Israel  Redux, 
**  or  The  Restauration  of  Israel."  He  calculates 
the  event  from  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  and  of 
St.  John,  and  commences  the  great  period  of 
1260  years,  not  from  a.  d.  608,  which  we  think 
correct,  but  from  a.  d.  47G,  which  brings  it  to 
173G.  He  then  adds,  **  After  the  great  con- 
'' flicts  with  the  Papal  powers  in  the  West, 
^'  will  begin  the  stirs  and  commotions  about 
'^  the  Jews  and  Israel  in  the  East.  If  then  to 
''  1736  we  add  30  more,  they  reach  to  I76G; 
"  but  the  times  of  perplexity  are  determined 
''  (by  Daniel)  to  last  45  years  longer.  If  then 
^'^  we  conjoin  those  45  years  more  to  37^^? 
"  it  produces  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 


5245  Cljrtstian  Ee5earct)e5 

**  ELEVEK,   for   those    times   of   happiness    to 
''  Israel."* 


VERSIONS  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 
FOR  THE  JEWS. 

Since  writing  the  above,  the  Author  has  re- 
ceived the  following  communication  from  the 
Rev.  David  Brown,  dated  Calcutta,  March  15, 
381G: 

"  Dr.  Leyden,  of  the  College  of  Fort  William,  in 
a  letter  communicated  to  me  yesterday,  has  offered  to 
conduct  Translations  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  following 
Languages;  viz." 

1.  Affghan,  5.  BuGis, 

2.  Cashmirian,  G.  Macassae, 

3.  Jagmatai,  and 

4.  Siamese,  7-  Maldivian. 

"  The  Jaghatai  is  the  original  Turcoman  Language, 
as  spoken  in  the  central  districts  of  Asia.  The  Bugis 
is  the   language  of    the   Celebes.       The  Macassar,    is 


*  See    "  Israel  Redux,"  page  122,  printed  in  CorDbiU, 
London,  1677 . 


iT0j)ertm0  tlje  fetus.  247 

spoken  at  Macassar,  in  the  Celebes,  and  in  the  great 
island  of  Bornj^o. 

*'  Dr.  t*eyden  is  assisted,  as  you  know,  by  learned 
natives  in  the  compilation  of  Grammars  and  Vocabu- 
laries in  the  above  languap^es,  and  entertains  no  doubt 
that  he  shall  be  able  to  eftect  correct  versions  of 
the  Scriptures  in  them  all,"  , 

Thus,  sooner  than  could  have  been  expected, 
are  we  likely  to  have  the  Bible  translated  into 
the  lano:ua2:e  of  the  Celebes.*  But  who  can 
estimate  the  importance  of  a  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  into  the  languages  of  Atfghana  and 
Cashmire,  those  Jewish  regions  ? 

The  Jagliatai,  or  Zagat  hat,  is  the  language 
of  Great  Bucharia,  which  was  called  Zagathai, 
from  a  son  of  Zenghis  Klian.  It  is  an  auspici- 
ous circumstance  for  Dr.  Leyden's  translation 
of  the  Jagharai,  t|iat  Prince  Zagathai  himself 
embraced  Christianity,  and  made  a  public  pro- 
fession of  the  Gospel  in  his  capital  of  Samar- 
cliand.f  There  were  at  tliat  period  above  a 
liundred  Christian  Churches  in  tlic  province  ; 
and  some  of  them  /emain  to  this  day.  We 
are  also  informed,    botii  by  the  Nestorian    and 

*  See  page  86  for  an  account  of  the  importance  of  this  lan- 
guage. 

f  See  Mosheinis  EccL  Tartar  History,  p.  40. 


^4S  Ctiristian  Umzxtt^t^ 

Komish  writers,  that  tlicre  was  a  version  of  the 
New  Testament  and  Psalres,  in  a  Tartar  Lan- 
guage, Dr.  Leyden  will  soon  discover  whe- 
ther this  was  the  Jaghatai.  That  laugu  Age 
is  spoken  In  Bochara,  Balk,  and  Samarchand, 
and  in  other  cities  of  Usbeck,  and  Indepen- 
dent Tartar}'.  *  This  is  the  country  which 
Dr.  Giles  Fletcher,  who  was  envoy  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  at  tlie  Court  of  the  Czar  of  Muscovy, 
has  assigned  as  the  principal  residence  of  the 
descendants  of  the  Te?i  Tribes.  He  argues  from 
theuplac€y  from  the  name  of  their  cities,  from 
their  language^  which  ,  contains  Hebrew  and 
Cbaldaic  words,  and  from  their  peculiar  r//e^ 
which  are  Jewish.  Their  principal  city,  Samar- 
chand,  is  pronounced  Samarchiany  which  Dr. 
Fletcher  thinks,  might  be  a  name  given  by  the 
Israelites  after  their  own  Samaria  in  Palestine, 
(See  Israel  Redux,  p.  12.)  Benjamin  of  Tudela, 
who  travelled  into  this  country  in  the  twelfth 
century,  and  afterwards  published  his  Itinerary^ 
says,  *'  In  Samarchand,  the  city  of  Tamerlane, 
**  there  are  50,000  Jews  under  tlie  presidency  of 
**  Rabbi  Obadiah :  and  in  thcmountains  and  cities 
**  of  Nisbor,  there  are  four  tribes  of  Israel  resi- 
'*  <lent,  viz.Dan,  Zabulon,Asher,  and  Napthali."* 


^  See  Benjamini  lunerarium,  p.  9/ 


It  is  remarkable  that  the  people  of  ZagdTthai 
should  be  constantly  called  Ephthalites  and 
NephihalUeshy  the  Byzantine  writers,  who  alone 
had  any  information  concerning  them.*  The 
fact  seems  to  be,  that,  if  from  Babylon  as  a  cen- 
tre, you  describe  a  segment  of  a  circle  from  the 
northern  shore  of  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the  heads  of 
the  Indus,  you  will  enclose  tlie  territories  con- 
taining the  chief  body  of  the  dispersed  tribes  of 
Israel. 

This  design  of  Dr.  Leyden  to  superintend  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  in  seven  new  lan- 
guages, marks  the  liberal  views,  and  the  enterpris- 
ing and  ardent  mind  of  that  scholar,  and  will  be 
hailed  by  the  friends  of  Christianity  in  Europe 
as  a  noble  undertaking,  deserving  their  utmost 
eulogy  and  patronage.  It  will  give  pleasure  to 
all  those  who  have  hitherto  taken  any  interest 
in  **  the  restoration  of  learning  in  the  East,"  to 
see  that  the  College  of  Fort-William  is  pro- 
ducing such  excellent  fruit.  May  its  fame  be 
perpetual ! 


Theophanes,  p,  79. 


2,50  Cfjrigtian  iResearcftes. 


THE  BIBLIOTHECA  BIBLICA 
IN  BENGAL. 


The  Bibliotheca  Biblica  is  a  Repository  for 
Bibles  in  die  Oriental  Languages,  and  for  Bibles 
only.  They  are  here  deposited  for  sale  at  mo- 
derate prices;  and  lists  of  the  various  versions 
are  sent  to  remote  parts  of  Asia,  that  individuals 
may  know  where  to  purchase  them ;  the  com- 
merce from  the  port  of  Calcutta  rendering  the 
transmission  of  books  extremely  easy.  Those 
who  desire  to  have  copies  for  gratuitous  distri- 
bution, are  supplied  at  the  cost  prices.  This  in- 
stitution is  under  th^  immediate  superintendence 
of  the  Rev.  David  Brown,  late  Provost  of  the 
College  of  Fort-William  :  and  it  is  supported  by 
all  the  translators  of  the  Bible  in  India,  who 
send  in  their  versions,  and  by  the  College  of 
Fort-William,  which  sends   in  its  versions. 

There  have  been  already  deposited  in  the  Bib- 
liotheca  Biblica  four  thousand  volumes,  in  the 
following  languages : 

Arabic,  Orissa, 

Persian,  Bengalee, 


jBibliotljeca  33tbUca.  251 

HjNDOSTANEE,  CHINESE, 

Shanscrit,  PouTUGUESE,and 

Mahratta,  English. 


These  translations  have  been  chiefly  furnished 
by  the  following  persons  : 

Dr.  William  Gary  and  Mr.  Joshua 
Marshman,  have  furnished  the  Shanscrit,  Ben- 
galee, Orissa,  and  Mahratta, 

Nathanael  Sabat,  from  Arabia,  has  con- 
tributed the  Persian,  The  first  Persian  transla- 
tion, (which  is  also  in  the  Bibliotheca)  was  made 
by  the  late  Lieutenant-Col.  Colebrook,  Sur- 
veyor-General in  Bengal  ;  and  it  *^  blesses  his 
memory." 

Mirza  Fitrut  furnishes  the  Hindostanee. 
There  is  another  Hindostanee  translation  by 
the  Missionaries  at  Serampore;  and 

Mr.  Joannes  Lassar  is  authorof  the  Chinese, 

There  will  be  a  large  accession  to  this  honour- 
able catalogue  in  a  year  or  two.  It  is  astonish- 
ing how  much  this  simple  Institution,  like  the 
Bible  Society  in  England,  has  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  public,  Native  and  European, 
in  India.    The  Superintendents  have   recently 


£5s  Cijiistian  Kesrarc&eg. 

se»t  to   England  for  the  following  supply   of 
Bibles,  which  is  now  collecting  for  them,   viz. 

Old  and  New.  Tost.     New  Test. 

Engikh         -         ^         -         -         -  2000         2000 

Portuguese  »         «         .         >         -  2000         2000 

French          -         -         -         -         -  500           500 

German        -         -         -         »         -  500 

Datdi           _         -         -         -         .  500 

Danish          _         ^         -         -         -  500 

Spanish         -         -         ^         ..         -  200 

Latin             -         -         -         -         -  100           lOO 

Italian            -----  100           100 

Hebrew        -----  iOO 

Greek            -         -        -         .         -  100           100 

Syriac            -----  —           100 

Swedish         ^         »         -         -         -  50 

Pnissian        -----  5Q 

Itussian         -----  50 
Armeiiiaii,  \ 

Malay,  and  >As  many  copies  as  can  be  pvocure/J. 
Arabic,       J 

Attached  to  the  Bibliotheca  Biblica  is  a 
Translation  Ltbiiauy,  containing-  books  for 
the  use  of  the  Traniilatois  of  the  Scriptprcs. 
As  this  Library  is  not  complete,  many  of  the 
necessary  works  not  being  procurable  in  Ipdia, 
i  list  of  the  voUinies  required  will  be  published  ; 
in  the  hope  that  learned  bodies,  and  individuals 
having  dupHcates,  will  be  pleased  to  present 
them  to  the  Bibliotheca  Biblica  in  Ben2:al. 


3BftUatI)eca  MWm.  255 

This  institution  was  first  organized  by  tlie 
Rev.  Mr,  Brown,  with  a  full  reliance  on  the 
patronage  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bihle 
Society,  which  has  cordially  embraced  his  views, 
and  of  the  Society  for  promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,  and  of  the  Universities  in  the 
United  kingdom,  which  we  hope  will  enrich  its 
Translation  Library. 

The  Rev.  David  Brown,  Senior  Chaplain  of 
the  East-India  Company  in  Bengal,  formerly  of 
Magdalen  College,  Cambridge,  has  now  been 
twenty-seven  years  resident  in  India  ;  and  is  the 
zealouspromoter  of  Sacred  Learning  in  the  East. 
He  is  educating  his  three  sons  in  India,^  solely'- 
with  the  view  of  qualifying  them  for  the  impor- 
tant purpose  of  extending  the  knowledge  of 
Christianity  in  Asia.  Being  himself  a  Hebrew 
scholar,  his  first  object  has  been  to  ground  them 
well  in  the  Hebrezv  and  Syriac  Languages; 
rightly  judging  that  a  knowledge  of  these  forms 
the  best  foundation  for  ability  to  produce 
accurate  translations  of  the  Scriptures  in  the 
other  Oriental  Tongues.  But  they  have  now 
added  to  these  first  Languages  tie  Arabic,  Per- 
4iia?i,  and  Hindostajiee^  which  tliey  pronounce 
like  natives  of  the  East.  They  hav§  had  the 
advanta^-e  of  the  best  teachers  in  the  different 
Janguagesj  particularly  of  ShaioMj  an  eoiinent 


254  Clnisttan  EesearrljeiS 

Hebrew  scholar  from  Arabia.  So  that  this  little 
Institution  in  Mr.  Brown's  house,  may  be  called 
the  Hebrew  School,  in  Bengal. 

It  is  understood  to  be  Mr.  Brown's  intention 
to  send  his  three  sons  to  England,  at.the  proper 
age,  to  finish  tbeir  education  at  the  University, 
and  to  enter  the  Church,  with  the  view  of  their 
returning  to  exercise  their  ministration  in  India. 
Mr.  Brown  himself  has  now  seen  two  or  three 
generations  pass  away  in  Calcutta,  (how  short 
is  a  Calcutta  generation  !)  and  has  exhibited  to 
alaroeand  refined  society  the  doctrine  and  the 
example  of  a  faithful  minister  of  the  Gospel. 
Marquis  Cornwallis  first  recommended  him  to 
the  Court  of  Directors  as  a  proper  person  to 
fill  his  present  important  situation,  and  this  he 
did  from  a  personal  knowledge  of  his  truly 
upright  and  disinterested  chai-acter.  In  the  many 
Governments  u;hich  have  succeeded,  there  is 
not  one,  as  the  Author  believes,  which  has  not 
recorded  a  public  testimony  to  the  merits  of 
their  Senior  Chajdain.  Marquis  Wellesley,  in 
particular,  h.onoured  ])ini  with  his  confidence 
and  esteem,  to  the  end  of  his  administration. 
It  was  under  the  ausj^ices  of  that  Nobleman, 
that  Mr.  Brown  instituted  the  ''Calcutta  Cha- 
ritable Fund  for  distressed  Europeans  and 
otlicrs,  of  which  it  ma\'  be  truly  said,-  that  it  has" 


been  a  Fountain  of  Mercy  to  thousands  in  Bengal 
for  ten  years  past,  it  having  been  estabhshed  in 
the  first  year  of  the  new  century.*  Mr.  Brown 
would  have  probably  returned  from  In'dia  with 
his  large  family  by  this  time,  but  his  diffusive 
benevolence  in  private  charity,  and  in  public 
undertakings,  both  in  India  and  England,  and 
the  frequent  demands  on  a  man  in  his  public 
station,  he  being  at  the  head  of  the  Church  in 
Ijengal,  have  not  perniitted  him  to  increase  his 
fortune  suitably.  And  now,  the  prospect  which 
o])ens  to  his  view  of  being  more  extensively  use- 
ful than  before,  in  encouraging  translations  of 
the  Scriptures,  in  promoting  the  objects  of  the 
Bible  Society,  and  in  educating  his  sons  for  the 
Oriental  Ch\irch,  makes  him  willing  to  remaiii  a 
few  years  longer  in  India. 


Tin:  ARMENIANS.      * 

A  LEAiiNiD  author,  in  a  work  published  about 
the  begi lining  of  the  last  century,  entitled  "  The 


*  This  Institution  not  only  assists  ojcasionally,  but  pensions 
permanently,  Europeans,  Mahon^eJaus,  and  Hindoos. 


256  Cf)rfetcan  me^eaccljeg 

^^  Light  of  the  Gospel,  rising  on  alt  nations^''  ob- 
^^  serves  that  the  Armenian  Christians  will  be  emi- 
"  nently  qualified  for  the  office  of  extending  the 
"  knowledge  of  Christianity  throughout  the  na- 
**  tions  of  Asia."*  This  is  undoubtedly  true.  Next 
to  the  Jews,  theArmenians  willform  themostgene- 
rally  useful  body  of  Christian  IMissionaries.  They 
are  to  be  found  in  every  principal  city  of  Asia;  they 
are  the  general  merchants  of  the  East,  and  are  in  a 
state  of  constant  motion  from  Canton  to  Con- 
stantinople. Their  general  character  is  that  of  a 
wealthy,  industrious,  and  enterprising  people. 
They  are  settled  in  all  the  principal  places  of 
India,  where  thej^  arrived  many  centuries  before 
the  English.  Wherever  they  colonize,  they  build 
Churches,  and  observe  the  solemnities  of  the 
Clnistian  Religion  in  a  decorous  manner.  Their 
Ecclesiastical  Establishment  in  Hindostan  is 
more  respectable  than  that  of  the  English.  Like 
us,  they  have  three  Churches  in  the  three  capitals, 
one  at  Calcutta,  one  at  Madras,  and  one  at 
Bombay;  feut  they  have  also  Churches  in  the 
interior  of  the  country .-{'  The  Bishop  sometimes 


*  Fabricii  Lux  Evangelii,  p.  651. 

t  In  Bengal  alone,  they  have  Churches  at  Dacca,  Sydalad^ 
and  Chinsurah. 


visits  Calcutta;  but  he  is  not  r^aiclepjt •  there.. 
The  proper  country  of'  these  Christina  i^.Aripe- 
nia,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  subject  to  the 
Persian  Government;  but  they  are  seq.tterecl  all 
over  the  Empire,  the  commerce  of  Persia  being 
chiefly  conducted  by  Armenians.  Their  Pa- 
triarch resides  at  Erlvan,  not  far  from  Mount 
Ararat* 

The  history  of  the  Armenian  Church  i3  very 
interesting.  Of  all  tjie  Christians  in  central  Asia 
they  have  preserved  themselves  most  free  fron^ 
Mahomedan  and  Papal  corruptions.  The  Pope 
assailed  them  for  a  ^time  with  ^reat  violence,  bat 
with  little  effect.  The  Churches  in  lesser  Ar~ 
meiijia  indeed  consented  to  an  .^i^jon  which  did 
not  long  continue;  but  those  in  Persian  Arme- 
nia maintained  their  independence;  and  they 
retain  their  ancient  Scripture,  doctrines,  and 
worship,,  to  this  day.  "It  is  marvellous/'  says 
an  intelligent  traveller,  who  w^as  muqh  ampng 
them,  "  how  the  Armenian  Cbrjstiai?s  .have  pre- 
"  served  their  faith  equally  againsjb  the  vexa- 
**  tious  oppression  of  the  Mahomedans  their 
*^  Sovereigns,  and  against  the  persuasions  of 
"  the  Romish  Church,  which  for  more  than  two 
*'  centuries  has  endeavoured,  by  Missionaries, 
"  Priests,  and  Monks,  to  attach  them  to  her 
''  Communion*     It  is  impossible  to  describe  the 

s 


258  C!)rfettau  Eesearcijesi^ 

'*  artifices  and  expences  of  the  Court  of  Rome, 
*';  to  eflfect  this  object ;  but  all  in  vain."* 

The  Bible  was  translated  into  the  Arnieniaa 
Language  in  the  fifth  century,  under  very  auspi- 
cious circumstances,  the  history  of  which  has 
come  down  to  us.     It  has  been  allowed,  by  com- 
petent judges  of  the  language,   to   be  a  most 
faithful  translation.     La  Croze  calls  it  "  The 
Queen  of  Versions.'^     This  Bible  has  ever  re- 
mained in  the  possession  of  the  Armenian  peo- 
ple ;  and  many  illustrious  instances  of  genuine 
and   enlightened   piety  occur  in  their  history. 
The  manuscript  copies  not  being  sufficient  for 
the  demand,    a  council   of  Armenian  Bishops 
assembled  in  1662,  and  resolved  to  call  in  aid  the 
art  of  Printing,  of  which   they  had  lieard  in 
Europe.     For  this  purpose  fhey  applied  first  to 
France,  but  the  Catholic  Church  refused  to  print 
their  Bible.     At  length  it  was  printed  at  Am- 
sterdam in  iGGGy  and  afterwards  two  other  edi- 
tions in 'l 66s  and  I69S.     Since  that  time  it  has 

■*  Chardinj  vol.  II.  p.  232. 

f  Mr,  Joannes  Lassar,  who  is  now  making  a  version  of  the 
.Scriptures  in  the  Chinese  Language,  in  Bengal,  is  an  Arme- 
nian Christian,  and  translates  chiefly  from  the  Armenian  Bible. 
But  he  also  understands  English,  and  consults  the  English 
version. 


b^n  printedxat  Venice.  One  of  the  editions 
which  the  Author  has  s^en,  is  not  inferior, 
in  beauty  of  typography,  to  the  EngHsli  Bible', 
How  far  these  editions  might  have  supplied  the 
Churches  in  Persia  at  that  time,  he  does  not 
know ;  bitt,  at  present,  the  American  Scfiptures 
are  very  rare  in  that  country,  bearing  no  pro- 
portion to  the  Armenian  population ;  and,  in 
India,  a  copy  is  scarcely  to  be  purchased  at  any 
price; 

The  Armenians  iri  Hindostan  are  o'ur  own 
Subjects^  They  acknowledge  our  government^ 
in  India,  as  they  do  that  of  the  Sophi  in  Persia; 
and  they  are  entitled  to  our  regard.  They  have 
preserved  the  Bible  in  its  purity;  and  their 
doctrines  are,  as  far  as.  the  Author  knows,  the 
doctrines  of  the  Bible^  Besides,  they  maintaia 
the  solemn  observance  of  Christian  worship, 
throughout  our  Empire,  on  the  seventh  day; 
and  they  have  as  many  spires  pointing  to  heaven 
among  the  Hindoos,  as  we  ourselves.  Are  such 
a  people  then  entitled  to  no  acknowledgment 
on  our  partj  as  fellow-Christians?  Are  they  for 
ever  to  be  ranked  by  us  with  jews^  Mahome- 
dans,    and  Hindoos?"*     Would  it   not  become 


*  Sarkies    Joannes,    ah  Armenian  merphant  of  Calcuttd> 

^hen  be  heard  of  the  King's  recovery  from  illness,  in  1/89, 

s  2 


t6o  CI)rfettan  Eesearcljes. 

us  to  approach  nearer  to  these  our  subjects- 
endeavour  to  gain  their  confidence,  ahd  con- 
ciliate their  esteem  ?  Let  us,  at  least,  do  that 
which  is  easily  practicable.  We  are  in  posses- 
sion of  the  means  o^ printing,  which  they  liave 
not.  Let  us  print  the  Armenian  Bible,  and 
employ  proper  persons  from  among*  themselves 
to  superintend  the  work,  and  encourage  them 
to  disperse  their  own  faithful  copy  throughout 
tlie  East.  Let  us  shew  them,  that  the  diffusion 
of  the  Scriptures  is  an  undertaking  to  which  we 
are  not  indifferent ;  and,  by  our  example,  let 
us  stimulate  their  zeal,  which  is  very  languid. 
But,  however  languid  their  zeal  may  be,  it  is 
certain  that  they  consider  the  English  as  being 
yet  more  dead  to  the  interests  of  religion,  than 
themselves.  Such  a  subject  as  this;  indeed, 
e^el^  subject  which  is  of  great  importance  to 
Christianity,  is  worthy  the  notice  of  our  Go- 
ve rn  me  n<,. as  well  as  of  individuals  and  so- 
cieties..,  The  printing  -press^  which  shall  be 
:^.;;'i^na><h"!v, ^ j _j . ^ ~ 

liberated  all  the  prisoners  for  debt  in  the  gaol  of  Calcutta. 
His  majesty,  hearing  of  this  instance  of  loyalty  in  an  Arme- 
nian subject',  sent  him  his  |)icture  in  miniature.  'Sarkies  wore 
the  Royal  present  suspended  at  his  breast,  during  his  life 3 
a'n^ritTs"  how  worn  by  his  son,  when  he  appears  at  the  levee 
<!>f  the  GD\'prnQr-General. 


IDottxinm  of  mebelatton*  ^6:j 

employed  in  multiplying  copies  qf  the  ;pure 
Armenian  Bible,  will  prove  a  rich  and  precious 
fountain  for  the  evangelization  of  the  East; 
and  the  Oriental  Bible  Repository,  at  Calcutta, 
will  be  a  central  and  convenient  place  for  its 
dispersion. 


VESTIGES 

OF  y^E 

DOCTRINES  OF  REVELATION  IN 
THE  EAST. 

In  passing  through  the  regions  pf  the  East, 
and  surveying  the  various  rehgious  system^ 
which  prevail,  the  mind  of  the  Christian  tra,vel- 
ler  cannot  fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  strong 
resemblance  which  some  of  them  bear  to  doc- 
trines which  are  familiar  to  him.  However 
varied  or  disguised  they  may  be,  there  are  yet 
some. strong  lines,  which  constantly  recall  his 
thouglits  to  the  doctrines  of  revelation,  and 
seem  to  point  to  a  common  origin. 

The  chief  and  distinguishing  doctrines  of 
Scripture  may  be   considered  the  four  follow- 


^62  €l)vMimx  W^mnul)t^. 

ing;  viz.  The  Trinity  in  Unity;  the  Incarna* 
tion  of  the  Deity;  a  Vicarious  Atonenieat  for 
Sin  ;  and  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  on 
the  mind  of  man.  Now  if  we  shoiild  he  ahle 
to  prove,  that  all  these  are  represented  in  the 
systems  of  the  East,  will  any  man  venture  to 
affirm  that  it  liappens  hy  chanced 

1.  The  d^^ctrine  of  tlie  Trinity.  The  Hin- 
doos beheve  in  one  God,  Brahma;  and  yet  they 
represent  him  as  sub^i^ting  in  three  persons  ; 
and  they  worship  one  or  other  of  these  persons  in 
every  part  of  India.*  And  what  proves  distinctly 
that  they  hold  this  doctrine  is,  that  their  i)iost 
ancient  representations  of  the  Deity  is  formed 
of  one  body,  and  three  faces.  The  most  remark- 
able of  these  is  that  at  the  caves  of  Elephanta, 
in  an  island  near  Bombay.  The  author  visited 
it  in  the  year  1808  ;  nor  has  he  seen  any  work 
of  art  in  the  East^  which  he  contemplated  with 
greater  wonder :  wMther  considered  with  re- 
spect to  its  collossal  size,  its  great  antiquity, 
the  beauty  of  the   sculpture,  or  the  excellence 

*  Le  commun  des  Indiens 'n'ad6re  qu'une  seule  de  ces  trot's 
divinities  :  mais  quelques  Savans  'addressent  encore  feurs  prieres 
"  aux  trois  rcunis. — II  y  a  m^me  des  Temples  entierenqent 
f*  consacres  a  cette  espece  de  Trinif^  :"  (such  as  Perfienc^d  in 
Travancore.)     Sonnerat^  Vol.  l.  151. 


IDoanm^  of  IRebelation.  263 

of  the  preservation.  From  causes  which  can- 
not now  be  known,  the  Hindoos  have  long  ceas- 
ed to  worship  at  this  Temple.  Each  of  the 
faces  of  the  Triad  is  about  five  feet  in  length. 
The  whole  of  the  statue,  and  the  spacious  Tem- 
ple which  contains  it,  is  cut  out  of  the  solid 
rock  of  the  mountain.  The  Hindoos  assign 
to  these  w^orks  an  immense  antiquity,  and  attri- 
bute the  workmanship  to  the  Gods.  The  Temple 
6f  Elephanta  is  certainly  one  of  the  wonders 
of  the  world,  and  is,  perhaps,  a  grander  effort 
of  the  ingenuity  of  |nan,  than  the  Pyramids  of 
Egypt.* 


*  Extract  of  a  letter  from  the  Author  to  W.T.  Money,  Es^. 
Bombay. 

"   Honouralk    Company's  Ship   Charlton^ 

"  Dbar  Sir, 

*'  When  I  visited  the  Elephanta  last  week,  and  compared  it 
with  the  accounts  of  former  travellers,  I  perceived  that  the  ex- 
cavated Temple  and  figures  were  in  a  state  of  progressive  dila- 
pidation i  and  it  seems  to  me  probable,  that  when  a  few  more 
pillars  shall  have  fallen  in,  the  whole  excavation  will  be  over* 
whelmed  in  the  ruin  of  the  super- incumbent  mountain.  If  I 
may  offer  an  opinion  on  the  means  of  preservation  which  are 
practicable,  I  w<)uki  suggest. 


Whencr6  "'then  Have  tlte  Mirtdoos  derix^ed  the 
idea  of  a'TlRitjjj^E  God?     It  should  seerfi^s  if 


1^5  ilJhat  thedii^pidated  pillars  be  rebuilt  entire  of  hewn  stones 
ifti<^r^ejbloclas^  of , granite  of  .the  mountain,  after  the  original 
model  3  the  decayed-  bases  of  the  colunis,  still  standing,  to  be 
s'trongly  cased  with  the  same  stone  j  and  the  broken  limbs  of 
fh^^fi^ui*^  •'to<bi^f^brtetl,  after  th^ 'authority  of  the  drawings 
and  dfescfiptidnb  of  the  first  travelleKs.  The  floor  to  be  cleared 
of  rubbisl^^  "^l^.if^  j"  some  places,  is  two  feetxleep,,  that  th© 
qpntinuity  -of  the  rock  with  the  bases  of  the  columns,  ma^ 
appear.        "    "a     ' 

^'•*' 'Tile' ttl6d(erti'^^!l,  ■inclosing  tlt^  front,  to  be  taken'dow^; 
to  throw  more  light  on  the  body  of  the  place,  and  a  slight 
railing  substituted  at  a  greater  distance. 

"  S^eps  to  be  cut  iri  the  rock  for  easy  descent  to  the' cold 
well  of  sweet  water.  The  jungfe* in  front  of  the  cave,  and 
about  its  edges,  to  be  cleared,  and  the  aperture  of  the  moun^ 
t«nil  'dn-fe^A  •sfd^ydiUVg-^aV  tb'^iV6''i^oV^''aiV ^.nk  liglit.  ' 

*'  The  old  Elephant  himself  on  the  side  of  the  hiH,'  to  be 
renewed,  and  a  young  elephant  placed  on  his  back,  agreeably 
to  the  first' '  drawftigs.  Tliese  draivihgs  I  can  send  you  from 
Europe  if  you"c?innot  pfoiJ'ure  them  in  India. 

*'  And,  lastly,  an  appropriate  buildirig  to  be  erectjed  ^n  the 
sea-side,  for  the  accommodation  of  visitors.  Here  may  be  de- 
posited, for  the  immedfal^e  VeTerehce  of  travel'lers,  tliose  vo- 
liiraes  which  contain  the 'notices  and  oplhiohs  of  the  Icafneif, 
concerning  Eiephahta.  T^us' building  mightbe  occupied' by  tfep 
inilitafy  guard,  which  the  Bombay  government  has  rederitty  sIfA 
tioned  on  the  island  £6  preserve  the  cavern  from  further  injury.' 

'^'  Other  improvements  willsuggest'  themselves  toybuon^he 
ispot.  To  preserve  to  future  ages  this  grand  monument  of  an- 
cient sculpture,  (the  worship  of  which  has  been  long  fdih*. 


Doctrines  uf  Ktbrtatimt.  965 

they  had  heard  of  the  ELOHiM/of  revelation  in 
the  iirst  chapter  of    Genesis,  '.'Let    us  make 


man."* 


2.  The  doctrine;' of.  ithelNCARisnATiaN  of  the 
Deity.  The  Hindoos  believe  that  one  of  the 
persons  in  their  Trinity  (and  that  toio  the  second 
person)  was  niianil>ested  in  the  flesh."  Hence 
their  fables  of  the  Avatars,  .or  Jntariiations  of 
Vishnoo.  And  this  clodtfine  is  .found  oyer 
almast  the-  W.holeiof  Asia.  Whenoe  the'ii 'origi- 
nated  this  idea  *'  that  God  should  become  man 


quished)  is,  I  think;  a  .cqnjmendable.  undertaking.  Eyery  Chris- 
tian traveller  can  assign  a  reason  for  wishing  that  an  emblem  of 
a  Trinity  in  Unity  existing  in  an  ancient  heathen  nation,  should 
remain  entire  during  the  ages  of  the  world." 


*  It  certainly  cannot  be  proved  that  the  Triad  at  Elephanta 
is  older  than  the  Christian  era.  ,  And  if  it  be  older, \ve  are  yet 
to  consider  that  the  Mosaic  record^. brought  dowp  the  notion  of  a 
Trinity  fifom  the  earliest, ages.  The  inqdern,  Jews  contend 
against  ^tl^is  fact,  that  they  may  not  seem  to  countenance  an  ar- 
gument for  the  truth, of  Christianity  5  but  if  they  will  read  their 
ownTargums,  they  will  see 'that  their  for*6fathers  confessed  it; 
as  in  the  following  instance.  ''  Come  and  behold  the  mystery 
*'  of  the  word  Elohim.  Thei^e  are  three  degrees,  and  each  de- 
"  gree  is  sole.  Notwithstanding  they  are  One  j  and  are  uni- 
V^  "Wd  into  one  J  nor  is  one  of  them  divided  from  another. 

''    ^''R.  SIMEON  BEN  JOCHAI. 
'^  In  Zoher  ad  scTii,  Levit.  sectionem." 


^66  Christian  Eesearcl)es* 

and  take  our  nature  upon  him  r"  The  Hhidoos 
do  not  consider  that  it  was  an  Angel  merely 
that  became  man  (like  some  Philosopheiis  in 
Europe)  but  God  himself.  Can  there  be  any 
doubt  that  the  fabulous  Incarnations  of  the 
eastern  mythology  are  derived  from  the  real 
Incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God,  or  from  the 
prophecies  that  went  before  it?  Jesus  the  Mes- 
siah is  the  true  AVATAR. 

S.  The  Doctrine  of  a  vicarious  Atonement 
for  sin,  by  the  shedding  of  blood. — To  this  day 
in  Hindostan,  the  people  bring  the  goat  or  kid 
to  the  Temple,  and  the  Priest  sheds  the  blood 
of  the  innocent  victim.'*    Nor  is  this  peculiar 


*  The  inhabitants  of  Calcutta  have  a  frequent  opportunity 
of  seeing  the  headless  an4  bloody  kid  carried  on  the  shoulder* 
of  the  offerer  through  the  streets,  after  having  been  sacrificed 
at  the  Temple  of  Kalee,  at  Kalee  Ghaut,  Kalee  is  the  god- 
dess of  destruction,  she  is  Hack  in  visage,  and  has  a  necklace 
composed  of  the  skulls  of  men.  Kalee  is  the  goddess  whom 
the  Deceits  (professsional  robbers  in  India)  propitiate  by 
sacrifice  and  offering,  before  they  go  out  oq  their  nocturnal 
depredations.! 


t  About  the  year  1799>  a  handsome  swoxd  was  presented  by 
the  supreme  Government  in  Bengal  to  Mahmud  Nazir,  a  Da- 
rogah,  in  the  district  of  Din rgepore,    fqr  his  service  in  ap" 


^mtnnt^  of  laebelation.         $67 

to  Hiiidostan  ;  throughout  tlic  whole  East,  the 
doctrine  of  a  sacrifice  for  sin  seems  to  exist  in 
one  form  or  other.     Ever   since    "  Abel  offered 


It  zvas  a  custom  for  the  chief  magistrate  of  police,  in  Cal- 
putta,  (an  English  officer)  to  go  out  of  the  city  in  procession 
with  the  liindoos,  on  a  certain  day  every  year,  to  Kalee  Ghaut. 
The  Author  will  not  assert,  that  he  went  out  "  to  make  an 
**  offering  to  the  Goddess  or  her  Pripsts,  in  the  name  of  the 
English  Government,"  because  he  never  witnessed  it.  Nor 
will  he  say  more  on  the  subject  :  because  he  has  not  heard 
whether  it  be  now  a  custom.  P  is  unjust  that  the  character 
of  the  present  Government  should  suffer  froqi  the  lalitqde  in 
Teligious  notions  of  some  of  the  first  governors. 

It  ivas  also  the  custom  for  many  of  the  English  in  Calcutta 
to  j^ccept  of  invitations  from  the  Hindoos,  to  be  present  at  the- 
Nautchy  or  dance,  at  the  Festival  of  the  Doorga  foojah,  cele- 
brated in  honour  of  their  God  DOORGA.  At  these  Nautches, 
the  idol,  gorgeously  arrayed,  is  placed  on  his  throne,  and  every- 
body is  supposed  to  bow  in  passing  the  throne.  Groups  of 
(dancing  girls  dance  before  the  God,  acconipanied  by  various 
pauslc,  and  sing  songs  and  hymns  to  his  honour  and  gloiy. 
■J'he  Eiiglish  are  accommodated  with  seats   to  look  on.     We 

prehending  a  gang  of  robbers,  some  of  whom  were  killed  on 
the  spot  After  the  apprehension,  the  scene  pf  their  depre- 
dations was  visited  by  Thos.  Parr,  Esq.  magistrate  of  the 
district,  in  company  with  his  assistant,  Willi.lm  Cunninghame, 
Esq.  now  of  Lainshaw,  Ayrshire.  When  they  arrived  at  the 
place  of  their  retreat,  "  a  temple  of  the  Hindoo  Goddess 
'' Kalee  was  pointed  out  to  them,  where  the  gang  were 
^'  accustomed  to  propitiate  the  Goddess,  before  they  issued 
/*  forth  on  their  t^octiirnal  Errands  of  plunder  ^nd  blood." 


£68  C})rigtian  Eegearcljes. 

unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain  ;" 
ever  since  Noah,  the  father  of  the  new  world, 
'^  offered  burnt  offerings  on  the  altar ;"  sacrifices 
have  been  offered  up  in  almost  every  nation,  as 
if  for  a  constant  memorial  to  mankind  that 
*'  without  shedding  of  blood,  there  is  no  remis- 
"  sion  of  sin."     Heb.  ix.  22. 

4.  The  ipfluence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  on 
the  minds  of  men.  In  the  most  ancient  writ- 
ings of  the  Hindoos,  some  of  which  have  been 
published,  it  is  asserted  that  *'  the  divine  spirit, 
or  light  of  holy  knowledge,"  influences  the 
minds  of  men.  And  the  man  who  is  the  sub- 
ject of  such  influence  is  called  "  the  man  twice 
born."     Many  chapters   are  devoted  to  the  du- 

would  not  insinuate  that  any  of  the  English  bow  to  the  Idol  j 
•and  we  shall  suppose  that  those  who  attend  the  ceremony,  do 
it  without  thought,  being  merely  swayed  by  the  fashion  of  the 
place,  and  unconscious  of  any  thing  wrong.  But  we  would 
suggest  a  doubt,  whether  the  custom  of  accepting  such  invi- 
tations (which  are  generally  on  printed  cards)  should  be  con- 
tinued at  the  seat  of  the  supreme  Government.  Such  liberties 
might  be  very  innocent  if  the  Christian  Religion  were  not  true. 
But  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Christian  people  dwelling  amongst  Idola- 
ters, to  beware  lest  their  actions  should  be  misinterpreted  j  for 
it  is  very  possible  that  their  polite  acquiescence  in  being  cere- 
moniously seated  in  the  presence  of  the  God,  and  witnessing  the 
honours  paid  to  him,  may  be  considered  by  some  of  the  igno- 
rant Hindoos,  as  a  tacit  approbation  of  their  worship. 


2?octr(nes  of  iRebelation.  269 

ties,  character,  and  virtues  of  "  the  man  twice 
born." 

Other  doctrines  might  be  illustrated  by  simi- 
lar analooies.  The  characters  of  the  Mosaic 
ceremonial  law  pervade  the  whole  system  of  the 
Hindoo  rituaPand  worship.  Now,  if  these 
analogies  were  merely  partial  or  accidental, 
they  would  be  less  important :  but  they  are  not 
accidental,  as  every  man  who  is  erudite  in  the 
holy  Scriptures,  and  in  oriental  mythology, 
well  knows.  They  are  general  and  systematic. 
Has  it  ever  been  alleged  that  the  Light  of 
Nature  could  teach  such  doctrines  as  those 
which  we  have  above  enumerated?  Some  of 
them  are  contrary  to  the  Light  of  Nature. 
Every  where  in  the  East  there  appears  to  be  a 
counterfeit  of  the  true  doctrine.  The  inhabi- 
tants have  lost  sight  of  the  only  true  God,  and 
they  apply  their  traditional  notions  to  false 
Gods.  These  doctrines  are  unquestionably 
relics  of  the  first  faith  of  the  earth ;  they  bear  the 
strong  characters  of  God's  primary  revelation  to 
man,  which  neither  the  power  of  man,  nor  time 
itself,  hath  been  able  to  destroy ;  but  which  iiave 
endured  from  age  to  age,  like  the  works  of  na- 
ture, the  moon  and  stars,  which  God  hath 
created,  incorruptible. 


270  Cijrlstian  UtmttW, 


ECCLESIASTICAL   ESTABLISHMENT 

FOR 

BIlITISII   INDIA. 

Eefoke  the  Author  left  Lidia,  he  pubUshed  a 
*'  Memoir  of  the  Expediency  of  an  Ecclesias- 
"  tical  Establishment  for  our  Empire  in  the 
**  East.'*  The  design  of  that  work  was  first  sug- 
gested to  him  b}'  Dr.  Porteus^  late  Bishop  of 
London,  who  had  attentively  surveyed  the  state 
of  our  dominions  in  Asia;  and  he  was  encouraged 
by  sul^sequent  communications  with  the  Mar^ 
quis  Wellesley,  to  endeavour  to  lead  the  atten- 
tion of  the  nation  to  the  subject*  That  publi- 
cation has  now  been  five  years  before  the  public, 
and  many  volumes  have  been  written  on  the 
various  subjects  which  it  contains  ;  but  he  does 
not  know  that  any  objection  has  been  made  to 
the  principle  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Establishment 
for  Christians  in  India.  An  attempt  has  been 
made  indeed  to  divert  th«  attention  from  the 
true  object,  and,  instead  of  considering  it  as  an 
establishment  for  Christians,  to  set  it  forth  as 
an   establishment  for  instructing  the  Hindoos, 


Ccclestasttcal  ©Btablisl)ment*        271 

But  the  instruction  of  the  Hindoos  is  entirely 
a  distinct  consideration,  as  was  carefully  noted 
in  the  Memoir.  At  the  end  of  the  first  part  is 
the  following  paragraph : 

"  It  will  be  remembered,  that  notliing  which 

'*  has  been  observed  is   intended   to   imply  that 

"  any  peculiar  provision  should  be  made  imme- 

"  diately   for   the   instruction   of  the   natives,  , 

**  Any  expensive   establishment  of   this    kind, 

"  however  becoming  our  national  character,  or 

"  obligatory  on  our  principles,  cannot  possibly 

^'  be  organised  to  efficient  purpose,  without  the 

"  aid  of  a  local  Church.     Let  us  first  establish 

"our  own  religion  amongst  ourselves,  and  our 

*'  Asiatic  subjects  will  soon  benefit  by  it.  When 

*^  once  our   national    Church    shall    have    been 

^*  confirmed  in  India,  themembers  of  that  Church 

'^  will  be  the  best   cfualified  to  advise  the  state, 

"  as  to  the  means  by  which,  from  time  to  time, 

"  the   civilization   of  the  natives  may   be  pro- 

''  moted."* 

An  Ecclesiastical  Establishment  would  yet  be 
necessary  for  British  India,  if'  there  were  not  a 
Alahomedan  or  Hindoo  in  the  land.  For,  besides 
the  thousands  of  British  Christians,  who  live 
and  die  in  that  country,  there  are  hundreds  of 

-  --  -  -  III    ■now      in  I  ■   -I  Tti 

*  Memoir,  p.  20. 


:^/%  Cljrtetian  Eeseaitijes. 


'?.-70 


tliousancl^  of  native  Christians,  who  are  at  this 
moment  '/as  sheep  without  a  shepherd ;"  and 
who  are  not  insensible  to  their  destitute  estate, 
but  supplicate  our  countenance  and  protection. 
Surely  the  measure  canno.t^  be  contemplated  by 
the  Legislature,  for  a  moment,  without  perceiv- 
ing its  abs9lute!  propriety  ou  the  common  prin- 
ciples of  justice  and  humanity. 

In  regard  to  the  other  subject,  the  instruction 
of  the  Hindoos,  many  different  opinions  have 
been  delivered  in  the  volumes  alluded  to,  the 
most  prominent  of  which  are  the  two  following  : 
First,  that  Hinduism  is,  upon  the  whole,  as  good 
as  Christianity,  and  that  therefore  conversion  to 
Christianity  as  not  necessary.  This  deserves  no 
reply.  The  second  opinion  is,  that  it  is  indeed  a 
sacred  duty  to  convert  the  Hindoos,  but  that 
we  must  not  do  it  by  force.  With  this  opinion 
the  Author  perfectly  coincides.  To  convert 
men  by  any  other  means  than  those  of  persua- 
sion, is  a  practice  fit  only  for  the  Inquisition, 
and  completely  at  variance  with  the  tenor  of 
every  page  which  he  has  written.  The  means 
of  conversion,  which  he  has  recommended,  are 
those  which  are  appointed  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
.  tures,  namely,  *'  Preaching,  and  the  Word  of 
God."  The  first  and  present  means  are  the 
translation  of  the  Word  of  God  into  the  various 


€rcl^0totical  C5!tablfef)ment        723 


languages ;  and  the  next  are  the  labours  of  teach- 
ers and  preachers. 

The  Author  is  not,  nor  has  he  ever  been,  the 
advocate  for  force  and  personal  injury  toward 
the  Hindoos.  No  :  he  pleads  the  cause  of  hu- 
manity. The  object  of  his  Work,  and  of  his 
Researches,  has  been  to  deliver  the  people  of 
Hindostan  from  painful  and  sanguinary  rites  ; 
to  rescue  the  devoted  victim  from  the  wheels 
of  Moloch's  Tower  ;  to  snatch  the  tender  infant 
from  the  jaws  of  the  alligator ;  and  from  the 
murderous  hands  of  the  more  unnatural  mother : 
to  save  the  aged  parent  from  premature  death  in 
the  Ganges  by  the  unnatural  son  ;  to  extin- 
guish the  flames  of  the  female  sacrifice,  and 
to  "  cause  the  widow's  heart  to  sing  for  joy." 

Another  object  of  his  Work  has  been,  to  shew, 
that  while  the  feelings  of  the  Christian  are  pain- 
fully affected  by  the  exhibition  of  these  suffer- 
ings and  atrocities,  Infidelity,  on  the  other  hand, 
can  behold  them^  and  does  behold  them,  with 
all  the  coldness  and  apathy  of  Voltaire.  And 
this  is  the  great  practical  triumph  of  Christia- 
nity over  philosophical  unbelief.  While  by  the 
former,  the  best  feelings  of  our  nature  are  melio- 
rated, and  improved,  and  softened,  and  extend^ 
ed  ;  they  become,  by  the  influence  of  the  latter, 
sullen,  and  cold,  and  torpid,  and  dead. 

T 


274  Cl)rt£;tfan  Eeisearcijes. 

The  remaining  opinion  on  this  subject,  which 
is  worthy  of  notice,  is  the  following :  **  The 
*'  conversion  of  the  Hindoos  to  Christianity  is 
"  indeed  a  solemn  obligation,  if  practicable ; 
*'  but  the  attempt  may  possibly  displease  the 
"  Hindoos,  and  endanger  our  Empire."  This 
fear  is  grounded  solely  on  an  ignorance  of  facts, 
and  on  the  remoteness  of  the  scene.  Christia-" 
nity  began  to  be  preached  to  Hindoos  by  Euro- 
peans, 300  years  ago,  and  whole  provinces  are 
now  covered  with  Christians.  In  the  present 
endeavours  of  Protestant  Missionaries,  the  chief 
difficulty  which  they  generally  experience  is  to 
awaken  the  mind  of  the  torpid  Hindoos  to  the 
subject.  They  know  that  every  man  may  chuse 
the  religion  he  likes  best,  and  profess  it  with 
impunity ;  and  that  he  may  lose  his  cast  and 
buy  a  cast  again,  as  he  buys  an  article  of  mer- 
chandize. There  are  a  hundred  casts  of  reli- 
gion in  Hindostan  ;  and  there  is  no  common  in- 
terest about  a  particular  religion.  When  one 
native  meets  another  on  the  road,  he  seldom  ex- 
pects to  find  that  he  is  of  the  same  cast  with 
himself  They  are  a  divided  people.  Hindos- 
tan is  like  the  great  world  in  miniature;  when 
you  pass  a  great  river  or  lofty  mountain,  you 
generally  find  a  new  variety.  Some  persons  iu 
Europe   think  it  must  be  a  novelty  to  the  Hin- 


ecclesiastical  ©stablfeDittent       ^i^ 

doos  to  see  a  Missionary;  There  have  been  for 
ages  past,  numerous  casts  of  Missionaries  in 
Hindostan,  Pagan,  Mabomedan,  arid  ChHstian^ 
all  seeking  to  proselyte  individuals  to  a  ne^v 
religion,  or  to  some  new  sect  of  ati  old  one.  The 
difficulty,  as  was  before  observed,  in  regard 
to  the  Protestant  Teachers,  is  to  awaken  atten- 
tion to  their  doctrine.* 

The  general  indifference  of  the  natives  to 
these  attempts,  whether  successful  or  not,  ha«i 
been  demonstrated  by  recent  events.  After  the 
adversaries  of  Christian  Missions  had  circulated 
their  pamphlets  through  British  India,  (with  the 
best  intention  no   doubt,     according   to    their 


*  In  fact,  there  is  scarcely  one  point  in  their  mythological 
"  religion  that  the  whole  race  of  Hindus  have  faith  in.  There 
*'  are  sectaries  and  schismatics  without  end,  who  will  believe 
"  only  certain  points  that  others  abjure:  individuals  of  those 
''  sects  dissent  from  the  doctrines  believed  by  the  majority  : 
"  other  philosophical  sceptics  will  scarcely  helitve  any  thing, 
"  in  opposition  to  their  easy-faithed  brethren,  who  disbelie^ve 
*'  nothing.  Hence  may,  in  part,  be  discerned  the  liabiiity 
"  under  which  inquirers  labour,  of  being  misled  by  sectaries 
*'  into  receiving  schism  as  orthodoxy,  and  of  forming  general 
*'  conclusions  from  individual  or  partial  information.  But,  in 
"  fact,  there  is  no  genlkal  orthodoxy  among  Hindoos." 
See  the  Hindoo  Pantheon,  p.  ISO,  by  Edward  Moor,  Es^. 
F.  R.  S.  pub!  he!  in  ISIO. 

T   2 


276  Cljrtstian  IReseaiTljesJ. 

judgement,)  announcing  the  intelligence  that 
some  of  tl^e  English  wanted  to  convert  the 
inhabitants  by  force,  and  to  blow  llindostan 
into  a  flame  ;  the  natives  seem  to  have  consider- 
ed the  information  as  absurd  or  unintelligible, 
and  to  have  treated  it  with  contempt.  For 
immediately  afterwards,  when,  by  the  defection 
of  the  British  troops,  the  foundations  of  oui 
empire  were  shaken  to  their  centre,  both  Ma- 
homedans  and  Hindoos  (who,  if  they  wished  to. 
rebel,  needed  only  to  sound  that  trumpet  which 
was  first  sounded  by  a  Senior  Merchant  in 
Leadenhall-street,  no  doubt  with  the  best  in- 
tentions) evinced  their  accustomed  loyalty, 
and  crowded  round  the  standard  of  the  Supreme 
Government  in  the  hour  of  danger.*' 


*  A  worthy  Clergjrman  belonging  to  the  Presidency  of  Fort 
St.  George,  who  witnessed  the  troops  marching  against  each 
other,  and  knew  not  for  a  time  what  would  be  the  fate  of  the 
Empire  j  after  the  danger  was  over,  makes  the  following  most 
just  and  striking  reflection,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend.,  "  It  cannot 
'^  but  have  occurred  to  every  reflecting  mind,  in  Jooking  back 
"  On  past  scenes,  if  it  had  pleased  God  in  his  providence  to  have 
''  dispossessed  us  of  our  dominions,  how  little  wquld  have 
''  remained  to^hew,  that  a  people  blessed  with  the  light  of  the 
"  glorious  Gospel  of  Chrijst,  had  once  borne  sway  in  this  land  I 
"  But  now,"  (he  adds  exultingly,  in  allusion  to  the  Translation 
©f  th*  Scriptures)  *'  the  Word  of  God  in  the  languages  of  aH 


ecclesiastical  ©0tat)lfel)tneut       tii 

There  is  one  argument  for  the  expediency  of 
an  Ecclesiastical  Establishment,  which  the  Au- 
thor did  not  insist  on  strongly  in  the  Memoir, 
from  motives  of  delicacy :  but  recent  events 
have  rendered  the  same  reserve  no  longer  neces- 
sary. He  will  proceed  therefore  to  disclose 
a  fact  which  will  serve  to  place  the  motives  for 
recommending  sucliati  establishment;,  in  their 
just  light — It  is  not  the  giving  the  Christian 
Reliofion  to  the  natives  which  will 'endanQ:er  our 
Empire,  but  the  want  of  religion  ainong  our  oxvn 
countrymen.  After  the  disturbance  among  the 
British  Officers  in  Bengal,  in '17i94,  which  for  a 
time  had  a  most  alarming  aspect,  being  of  the 
same  character  with  that  which  took  place  lately 
at  Madras,  a  Memorial  was  presented  to  the 
Marquis  Wellesley,  on  his  accession  to  the  go- 
vernment, by  persons  who  had  been  long  in 
the  service  of  the  Company,  and  who  were  well 
acquainted  with  the  circumstances  of '  ihe  Em- 
pire at  large  ;  representing  the  necessity  of  a 
*^  suitable  Religious  Establishment  for  British 
India  ;"  and  illustrating  that  necessity  by  the 
events  which  had  recently   taken  place  in  the 


'*  India,  will  be  an  enduring  Monument  of  British  Piety  and 
*'  Liberality,  for  which  the  sacrifice  of  Prayer  and  Thanksgiv- 
^'  ing  will  ascend  to  the  Most  High,  to  the  latest  generatioos." 


gts ,         Cijrfettan  )3,tpmti0, 

^rmy.  That  Memorial  referred  to  the  ahiiost 
total  extinction  of  Christian  worship,  at  the 
jnilitary  stations,  where  the  seventh  day  was 
only  distinguished  by  the  British  Flag  ;  and 
jioticed  the  fatal  consequences  that  might  be 
expected  from  large  bodies  of  men,  far  remote 
from  the  controlling  power  of  the  parent  state, 
enjoying  luxury  and  independance,  and  seeing 
jiothing,  frojB  youth  to  age,  of  the  religion  of 
tlieir  coimtry. .  It  shewed  farther,  that,  of  the 
whole  number  of  English  who  go  to  India,  not 
a  tenth  part  return  :  and  assigned  this  fact  as  a 
reason  v/hy  their  religion  should  follow  them  to 
the  East ;  that  it  might  be,  in  the  first  place,  a 
solace  to  themselves,  in  the  dreary  prospect  of 
dying  in  that  land  (for  qf  a  thousand  soldiers  in 
sickly  India,  there  wiUpbe  generally  a  hundred 
in  declining  hea.lth  ;)  and  secondly,  "  that  it 
^/  might  be  some  security  for  their  loyalty  to 
"  their  king,  and  their  attachment  to  the  prin- 
*'  ciplcs  of  their  country." 

It  required  not  a  Memorial  to  apprize  Marquis 
Wellesley  of  the  truth  of  these  facts,  or  of  the 
justness  of  the  reasoning  upon  them.  The  ne- 
cessity of  a  meliorated  state  of  existence  for  the 
English  armies,  w^as  made  evident  to  him  by 
his  own  observation  ;  and  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that,  had  that  Nobleman  remained  in  India,  to 


ecclestottcal  ©stablisljment      279 

complete  the  plans  which  he  meditated  for  the 
advantage  of  that  country,  and  had  his  coadjutor;, 
Mr.  Pitt,  lived,  a  suitable  Religious  Establish 
ment  would  have  been,  by  this  time,  proposed 
to  the  East-India  Company,  for  every  part  of 
tlieir  dominions  in  Hindostan.  But  Marquis 
Wellesley  had  another  and  a  moi-e  imperious 
service  first  to  perform,    and  that  was,  to  save 

THE     BODY     OF    THE    EmPIRE     ITSELF.       British 

Hindostan  was,    at  that  moment,    surrounded 
by  strong  and  formidable   enemies,  who  were 
putting   themselves  **  in   the  attitude  of   the 
tiger,"  as  a  Vakeel  of  Tippoo  expressed  it,  "  to 
leap   upon   the   prey."     And   this  service  that 
great  Statesman  achieved,  under   Divine  Provi- 
dence, first,  by  destroying  the  Mysorean  Em- 
pire, under   Tippoo  Sultaun,  and    thereby  ex« 
tinguishing    the    Mahomedan    power   in    Hin- 
dostan ;      secondly,      by    overwhelming      the 
hitherto  invincible   Mahrattas;  and  lastly,  by 
forming  on  the  frontier  a   league  of  strength, 
which,  like  a  wall  of  iron,  has  saved  the  country 
from  native  invasion  ever  sinc.e;  notwithstanding 
its    subsequent   critical  and  exposed   state,  in 
consequence  of  frequent  changes  of  the  Supreme 
Government,  and  of  dissensions  in   our  army. 
The  services  which  that   Nobleman  performed 
for  our  Empire  in  the  East  were  very  ill  under- 


«8o  Cljrfetian  Kesearc^e^. 

stood  at  the  time;  his  views  were  so  compre- 
hensive, that  few  men  could  embrace  them; 
— They  are  more  generally  acknowledged  now ; 
but  it  is  to  be  apprehended  that  some  years 
must  yet  elapse,  before  all  the  beneficial  conse- 
quences of  his  administration  will  be  fully  made 
known  to  his  country. 

It  has  been  a  subject  of  wonder  to  many  in 
England,  that  our  army  should  at  any  time 
betray  symptoms  of  disaffection  in  India,  when 
no  instance  of  it  occurs  elsewhere.  But  the 
surprise  will  cease,  when  the  circumstances 
before  mentioned  shall  have  been  dulv  weig:iied. 
Of  the  individuals  engaged  in  the  late  disturb- 
ances at  Madras,  there  were  perhaps  some,  who 
had  not  witnessed  the  Service  of  Christian  Avor- 
ship  for  twenty  years  :  whose  minds  were  im- 
pressed by  the  daily  view  of  the  rites  of  the 
Hindoo  religion,  and  had  lost  almost  all  me- 
mory of  their  own.  It  is  morally  impossible  to 
live  long  in  such  circumstances,  without  being 
in  some  degree  affected  by  them.  That  loyalty 
is  but  little  to  be  depended  on,  whether  abroad 
or  at  home,  which  has  lost  the  basis  of  religion. 

The  true  spring  of  the  irregular  proceeding, 
contemptuous  remonstrance,  and  ultimate  disaf- 
fection of  the  military  in  India,  is  this  :  Large 
bodies  of  troops  at  a  great  distance  from  Bri- 


ecrtesfastical  CeitabUsljntmt.       ss } 

tain,  which  they  never  expect  to  see  again,  be- 
gin, after  a  long  absence,  to  feel  more  sensibly 
their  own  independence,  while  their   affection 
for  4heir  native   country  gradually  diminished. 
And  if,  under   such  circumstances,  they  have 
not  the  restraints  of  religion,  (for  what  is  obe- 
dience **  to  the  powers  tliat  be"  but  the  restraint 
of  religion  ?)  and  if  they  have  not  the  frequent 
view  of  Christian  worship  to  recal  their  minds, 
by  association  of  ideas,  to  the  sacred  ordinances 
and  principles  of  thei?  country,  it  is  impossible 
to  foresee  to  what  degrees  of  rebellion  or  infatu- 
ation they  may  proceed.      It  is  unjust  to  ascribe 
these  proceedings  to  the  casual  acts  of  the  Go- 
vernor for  the  time  being.     Indiscreet  measures 
on  his  part  may  form  the  pretext;*  but  the  true 
cause  lies  much  deeper.     The  Company's  Offi- 
cers in  India  are  as  honourable  a  body  of  military 
men  as  are  to  be  found  in  the  world  ;  the  Author 
knows  them,  but  they  are  in  peculiar  circum- 
stances; and  if  any  other  description  of  troops 
were   in  their   stead,    passing  a   whole  life  in 
such  an  iinchristianizing  service,  the  same  causes 
would  still  produce  the  same  effects. 

The  most  alarming  consideration^  while  things 
remain  in  their  present  state,  is  this,  that,  in  pro- 
portion as  our  empire  increases,  and  oUr  force  in 
India  grows  stronger, .  the  danger  arising  from 


j^sa  Cjjrigtian  Eesearri)es. 

the  foregoing  causes  becojnes  the  greater. 
These  are  obvious  truths,  on  which  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary to  dilate.  But  there  is  another  subject, 
alh'ed  to  this,  which  the  Author  thinks  it  a 
solemn  duty  to  bring  before  the  public. 

Not  only  are  our  troops  denied  suitable  reli^ 
gious  instruction,  when  they  arrive  in  India,  but 
they  are  destitute  of  it,  during  their  lotig  voj/age 
to  that  country.  The  voyage  is,  on  an  average, 
six  months.  Now,  provision  ought  certainly  to 
be  made  for  Divine  worship,  and  for  spiritual 
consolation  to  the  soldiers,  during  that  period  : 
fpr  it  is  sometimes  a  period  of  great  sickness,  and 
o^; frequent  death.  Indeed,  there  ought  to  be  a 
Chaplain  on  board  of  every  India  ship  contain- 
ing one  hundred  souls.  ^ 


*  The  East-India  Company  require  the  Commander  or  Pur- 
ser of  every  ship  to  read  prayers  on  Sunday,  when  the  wea- 
ther permits.  The  service  isperforrped,  in  many  cases,  in  a 
serious  and  truly  impressive  manner  5  and  tlie  acknowledged 
good  effects  in  such  cases,  convey  the  strongest  recommendation 
of  the  measure  which  has  been  proposed.  One  iqiportant  duty 
of  the  Chaplain  of  an  Indiaraan  might  be,  to  superintend  the 
studies  of  the  young  Writers  and  Cadets  proceeding  to  India  j 
who  for  want  of  some  direction  of  this  kind,  generally  pass  the 
long  voyage  in  idleness,  lounging  on  the  quarter  deck,  or 
gambling  in  the  cuddy.  So  important  has  this  subject  been 
considered,  that,  during  the  administration  of  Marquis  Welles- 
ley,  a  detailed  plan  for  carrying  the  proposed  measure  in tp. 


They. who  believe  in  the  Christian  Religion, 
profess  also  to  believe   in   the   superintending 
providence    of  God;  and  are  taught   to  hope 
that  the  divine  blessing  will   accompany  those 
designs  which  are  undertaken  in  his  name,  and 
conducted  in  his  fear.     If  we  were  "  a  heathen 
nation,"  then  might  we  send  forth  our  fleets  with- 
out a  prayer,  and  commit  them,  for  a  safe  voy- 
age, "  to  goddess  Fortune  and  fiiir  winds."     But 
we  are  a  Christiap  nation,  though  not  a  super- 
stitious one ;  and,  however  individuu:s  may  con- 
sider it,  it  is   certain    that   our  countryrnen  in 
general  view  the  performance  of  the   offices  of 
religion  with  great  respect  ;  and  that,  in  parti- 
cular circumstances  on  board  ship,  no   duty  is 
more  acceptable,  none  more  interesting,   none 
more  salutary  and  consoling.     Such  scenes  the 
Author  himself  has  witnessed,  and  from  those 
persons  who  h^ve  witnessed  such  3cenes,  he  has 


effect  was  actually  transmitted  to  a  Member  of  the  Court  of 
Directors,  to  lay  before  the  Court.  Jf  it  were  madean  indis^ 
pensable  qualification  of  the  Chaplain,  that  he  should  under- 
stand the  rudiments  of  the  Persian  and  H'mdostanee  tianguages, 
and  the  common  elements  of  geometry  and  navigation,  for  the 
instruction  of  the  Midshipmen,  his  services  would  be  truly 
important,  merely  in  his  secular  character.  Every  truly 
respectable  commander  in  the  Company's  service,  must  be 
happy  to  have  an  exemplary  Clergyman  on  board  his  ship. 


284  CljvtstiEain  laesearcljes?* 

never  heard  but   one   opinion  as    to    the  pro-* 
priety  of    having  a  Clergyman   to   form    one 
of  the  great  family  in  a  ship,  in   these  long, 
sickly,  and  perilous  voyages.     When  the  news 
arrived  in  England  last  year  of  the  loss  of  the 
seven  Indiamen  in  a  distant  ocean,  how  grati- 
fying would  it  have  been  to  surviving  friends, 
if  they  could  have  been  assured  that  the  offices 
of  religion,  and  the  consolation  of  its  ministers, 
had  been  afforded  to  those  who  perished,  during 
their  last  days!  These  events  have  a  warning 
voice;  and  it  is  not  unbecoming  a  great  and  re- 
spectable  body  of  men,  like  the  East-India  Com- 
pany, to  attend  to  it.     The  Legislature  has  not 
neglected  a  subject  of  this  importance.     It   is 
required  that  every  ship  of  the  line  should  have 
a  Chaplain  ;  and  wq   have  lately  s^en  some   of 
our  most  renowned  Admirals,    both  before  and 
after  battle,  causing   the  prayers   and   thanks- 
givings of  the   fleet  to  ascend   to  the  God  of 
heaven. 

There  still  remains  one  topic  more,  to  which 
the  Author  would  advert.  It  may  be  presumed 
to  be  the  wish  of  the  major  part  of  this  nation, 
that  whenever  a  Missionary  of  exemplary  cha- 
racter, and  of  respectable  recommendation,  ap- 
plies to  the  East-India  Company  for  a  passage 
to   our   Eastern  shores,  his   request  might   \k. 


€tcle£;iasttral  ©!5tabltgf)ment.       285 

treated  with  indulgence.  In  him  we  export  a 
blessing  (as  he  may  prove  to  b,e)  to  thousands 
of  our  fellow-creatures ;  and  his  example  and 
instructions,  and  prayers,  will  do  no  harm  to 
the  ship  in  which  he  sails.  While  the  East 
India  Company  retain  the  sole  privilege  of 
conveyance  to  India,  the  nation  would  be  pleas- 
ed to  see  this  condescension  shewn  to  persons 
in  humble  circumstances,  whose  designs  are  of 
a  public  character,  and  acknowledged  by  all 
men  to  be  pious  and  praise-worthy.  The  Au- 
thor will  conclude  these  observations  with  a 
paragraph  which  he  has  found  in  a  manuscript 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  KolhofF,  of  Tanjore,  the  suc- 
cessor of  Mr.  Swartz,  which  has  been  just  trans-^ 
mitted  for  publication : 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  since  the  foun- 
'*  dation  of  our  Mission,  which  is  now  one 
"  hundred  years,  and  during  which  period  up- 
*^  wards  of  fifty  Missionaries  have  arrived  from 
"  Europe ;  among  the  many  ships  that  have 
"  been  lost,    there  never  perished  one   vessel, 

'^    WHICH  HAD  A  MISSIONARY  ON   BOARD."* 

The  following  Letter,  written  by  Dr.  Wat- 
son, Bishop  of  Llandaff,    on  the  subject  of 


*  MS.  materials  for  the  Life  of  Swartz. 


286  Cijrfetiau  i3,mmtl)ts. 

an  Ecclesiastical  Establishment  for  British  Indkj 
M^as  published  in  Calcutta,  in  the  year  1807. 

'^  Calgarth-Pdrk,  Kendat^ 
14th  Mmj,  1806. 

'^  Reverend  Sir, 

"  Some  weeks  ago  I  received  your  Memoir 
of  the  expediency  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Establishment 
for  British  India ;  for  which  obliging  attention  / 1  now 
return  you  ray  best  thanks.  I  hesitated  for  some  time 
whether  I  ought  to  interrupt  your  speculations  with  my 
acknowledgments  for  so  valuable  a  present;  but  on 
being  informed  of  the  noble  Premium,  by  which  you 
purpose  to  exercise  the  talents  of  Graduates  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge,  I  determined  to  express  to  you  my 
admiration  of  your  disinterestedness,  and  zeal  in  the  cause 
of  Christianity. 

"  Twenty  years  and  more  have  now  elapsed  since, 
in  a  Sermon,  before  the  House  of  Lords,  I  hinted  to  the 
then  government,  the  propriety  of  paying  regard  to  the 
propagation  of  Christianity  in  India;  and  I  have  since 
then,  as  fit  occasions  offered,  privately,  but  unsuccess- 
fully, pressed  the  matter  on  the  consideration  of  those  in 
power.  If  my  voice  or  opinion  can,  in  future,  be  of  any 
weight  with  the  King's  Ministers,  I  shall  be  most  ready  to 
exert  myself,  in  forwarding  any  prudent  ipoasure  tor  pro- 
moting a  liberal  Ecclesiastical  Establishment  in  British 
India ;  it  is  not  without  consideration  that  I  say  a  liberal 
Establishment,  because  I  heartily  wish  that  every  Chris- 
tian should  be  at  liberty  to  worship  God  according  to  his 
conscience,  and  be  assisted  therein  by  a  Teacher,  at  the 
public  expense,  of  his  own  persuasion. 


eccle£(ia£(ttral  establts!)ittent,        287 

**  The  subjects  you  have  proposed  for  the  work  which 
shdl  obtain  your  Prize,  are  all  of  them  judiciously  chosen, 
and  if  properiy  treated  (as  my  love  for  my  Alma  Mater 
persuades  me  they  will  be)  may  probably  turn  the  thoughts 
of  the  Legislature  towards  the  measure  you  recommend. 

"  The  Salutaris  Lux  Evangelii,  by  Fabricius,  published 
at  Hamburgh  in  1731,  will  be  of  great  use  to  the  Candi- 
dates for  your  Prize  ;  and  his  Index  Geographicus  Epis- 
coPATUUM  Orbis  Christian^  subjoined  to  that  work, 
might,  if  accompanied  with  proper  Notes,  afford  a  very 
satisfactory  elucidation  of  your  third  head. 

"  God  in  his  providence  hath  so  ordered  things,  that 
America,  which  three  hundred  years  ago  was  peopled  by 
none  but  Pagans,  has  now  many  millions  of  Christians  in 
it;  and  will  not,  probably,  three  hundred  years  lience, 
have  a  single  Pagan  in  it,  but  be  occupied  by  more 
Christians,  and  more  enlightened  Clyistians,  than  now 
exist  in  Europe. 

"Africa  is  not  now  worse  fitted  for  the  reception  of 
Christianity  than  America  was,  when  it  was  first  visited 
by  Europeans ;  and  Asia  is  much  better  fitted  for  it, 
in  as  much  as  Asia  enjoys  a  considerable  degree  of 
civilization  ;  and  some  degree  of  it  is  necessary  to  the 
successful  introduction  of  Christianity.  The  commerce 
and  colonization  of  Christian  states  have  civilized 
America,  and  they  will,  in  process  of  time,  civilize  and 
christianize  the  whole  earth.  Whether  it  be  a  Christian 
duty  to  attempt,  by  lenient  methods,  to  propagate  the 
Christian  religion  among  Pagans  and  Muhomedans  can 
be  doubted,  I  think,  by  few ;  but  whether  any  attempt 
will  be  attended  with  much  success,  till  Christianity  is 
purified  from  its  corruptions,   and  the  lives  of  Christians 


283  €\)ii<itm  ^mttl)m 

are  rendered  correspondent  to  their  Christian  profeSsi^K^ 
may  be  doubted  by  many ;  but  there  certain] y  never  was 
a  more  promising  opportunity  of  trying  the  experiment 
of  subverting  Paganism  in  India,  than  that  which  has 
for  some  years  been  offered  to  the  government  of  Qreat 
Britain. 

"  The  morality  of  our  holy  religion  is  so  salutary 
to  civil  society,  its  promises  of  a  future  state  so  con- 
solatory to  individuals,  its  precepts  so  suited  to  the 
deductions  of  the  most  improved  reason,  that  it  must 
finally  prevail  throughout  the  world.  Some  have  thought 
that  Christianity  is  losing  ground  in  Christendom.  I  am 
of  a  different  opinion.  Some  ascititious  doctrines,  de- 
rived from  Rome  and  Geneva,  are  losing  ground  amongst 
learned  men  ;  some  unchristian  practices  springing  from 
ignorance,  bigotry,  intolerance,  self-sufficiency  of  opinion, 
with  uncharitableness  of  judgement,  are  losing  ground 
among  all  sober-minded  men ;  but  a  belief  in  Jesus  Christ, 
as  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  as  the  medium,  through 
whom  eternal  life  will  be  given  to  all  who  obey  his  Gos- 
pel, is  more  and  more  confirmed  every  day  in  the  minds 
of  men  of  eminence  and  erudition,  not  only  in  this,  but 
in  every  other  Christian  country.  From  this  praise  I 
am  not  disposed  to  exclude  even  France  itself,  notwith- 
standing  the  temporary  apostasy  of  some  of  its  philoso- 
phers from  every  degree  of  religious  faith.  I  cannot  but 
hope  well  of  that  country,  when  I  see  its  national  Insti- 
tute proposing  for  public  discussion  the  following  sub- 
ject;  '  What  has  been  the  influence  of  the  reformation 
'  of  Luther,  on  the  political  situation  of  tlie  different 
*  states  of  Europe,  and  on  the  progress  of  knowledge  ?' 
especially  when  I  see  the  subject  treated  ])y  Mr.  Villars, 


Cxflesiaj5tical  estafiUsijment.       2S9 

in  a  maimer  which  would  have  derived  honour  to  the 
most  Uberal  Protestant  in  tlie  freest  state  in  Europe. 

'^  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  that  the  morals  of  Christians 
in  general  fall  far  short  of  the  standard  of  Christian 
perfection,  and  have  ever  done  so,  scarcely  excepting 
the  latter  end  of  the  first  century.  Yet,  notwithstanding 
this  concession,  it  is  a  certain  fact,  that  the  Christian 
religion  has  always  operated  to  the  production  of  piety, 
benevolence,  self-government,  and  the  love  of  virtue 
amongst  individuals,  in  every  country  where  it  has  been 
received ;  and  it  will  every  where  operate  more  power- 
fully, as  it  is  received  with  more  firm  assurance  of  its 
truth;  and  it  will  be  every  where  received  with  more 
firm  assurance  of  its  truth,  as  it  is  better  understood; 
for  when  it  is  properly  understood,  it  will  be  freed  from 
the  poUuiipns  of  superstition  and  fanaticism  among  the 
hearers,  and  from  ambition,  domination,  and  secularity 
among  the  teachers. 

^'  Your  publication  has  given  us  in  England  a  great 
insight  into  the  state  of  Christianity  in  India,  as  well  as 
into  the  general  state  of  Learning  amongrst  you ;  and  it 
has  excited  in  me  the  warmest  wishes  for  the  prosperity 
of  the  college  of  Fort- William.  It  is  an  Institution 
which  would  have  done  honour  to  the  wisdom  of  Solon 
or  Lycurgus.  I  have  no  knowledge  personally  of  the 
Marquis  Wellesley,  but  I  shall  think  of  him,  and  of  his 
coadjutors  in  this  undertaking,  with  the  highest  respect 
and  admiration,  as  long  as  I  live. 

^^  I  cannot  enter  into  any  particulars  relative  to  aii 
Ecclesiastical  Establishment  in  India ;  nor  w^ould  ^t, 
perhaps,  be  proper  to  press  government  to  take  the 
matter  into  their  consideration,  till  this  country  is  'reed 


£90  Cljristiau  Eefieatci)e$;* 

tVom  the  danger  which  threatens  it :  biit  I  liave  that 
opinion  of  his  Majesty's  Ministers,  that  they  will,  not 
only  from  policy,  but  from  a  serious  sense  of  religious 
duty,  be  disposed  to  treat  the  subject,  whenei^er  it  conies 
before  them,  with  great  judgement  and  liberality.  Mar 
God  direct  their  counsels  ! 

*^  *  Ou4'  Empire  in  India,'  said  Mr.  Hastings,  '  has 
been  acquired  by  the  sword,  and  must  be  maintained  by 
the  sword.'  I  cannot  agree  with  him  in  this  sentiment. 
All  Empires  have  been  originally  acquired  by  violence, 
but  they  are  best  established  by  moderation  and  justice. 
There  was  a  time  when  we  shewed  ourselves  to  the 
inhabitants  of  India  in  the  character  of  tyrants  and 
robbers ;  that  time,  I  trust,  is  gone  for  ever.  The  wisdom 
of  British  policy,  the  equity  of  its  jurisprudence,  the 
impartiality  of  its  laws,  the  humanity  of  its  penal  code, 
and  above  ail,  the  incorrupt  administration  of  public 
justice,  will,  when  they  are  well  understood,  make  the 
Indians  our  willing  subjects,  and  induce  them  to  adopt 
a  teHgrion  attended  with  sucli  consequences  to  the 
^oarest  interests  of  the  human  mind.  They  will  rejoice 
in  having  exchanged  the  tyranny  of  Pagan  superstition, 
and  the  despotism  of  their  native  princes,  for  the  mild 
mandates  of  Christijinity,  and  the  stable  authority  of 
equitable  laws.  The  difference  between  such  diffennit 
sitates  of  civil  society,  as  to  the  production  of  human 
happiness,  is  infinite  ;  and  the  attainment  of  happiness 
is  the  ultimate  aim  of  all  individuals  in  all  nations. 
«*  I  am,  Reverend  Sir, 
*•  Your  u])lig<;'d  and  faithful  Servant, 
"  R.  LLANDAFF, 
*'  lb  Rev.  Dr.  Buchanan,  Vice-Provast 

"  ^the  College  qf  FortrfVillium,  Calcutta.'* 


(  291  ) 


CONCLUSION. 

In  the  progress  of  these  Researches  the  Au- 
thor has  found  his  mind  frequently  drawn  to 
consider  the  extraordinary  difference  of  opinion, 
which  exists  among  men  of  learning,  in  regard 
to  the  importance  and  obligation  of  communi- 
cating religious  knowledge  to  our  fellow  crea- 
tures. And  he  has  often  heard  the  question 
asked,  What  can  be  the  cause  of  this  discre- 
pancy of  opinion  ?  For  that  such  a  difference 
does  exist  is  most  evident.  It  is  exemplified  at 
this  moment  in  some  of  the  most  illustrious 
characters  for  rank  and  learning,  in  the  nation. 
This  is  a  problem  of  a  very  interesting  character 
at  this  day,  and  worthy  of  a  distinct  and  ample 
discussion,  particularly  at  our  seats  of  learning. 
The  problem  may  be  thus  expressed.  "  What 
*^  power  is  that,  which  produces  in  the  mindi 
"  of  some  persons  a  real  interest  and  concern 
**  in  the  welfare  of  their  fellow-creatures; 
*^  extending  not  only  to  the  comfort  of  their 
'^  existence  in  this  world,  but  to  their  felicity 
**  hereafter  ;  while  other  men  who  are  apparently 
"  in  similar  circumstances,  as  to  learning   and 

u  2 


592  Cl)rtsttan  Eesearc^es 

**  information,  do  not  feel  inclined  to  mo'ce 
*^  one  step  for  the  promotion  of  such  objects  ?" 
The  latter,  it  may  be,  can  speculate  on  the 
philosophy  of  the  human  mind,  on  its  great 
powers  and  high  dignity,  on  the  sublime  virtue 
of  universal  benevolence,  on  the  tyranny  of 
superstition,  and  the  slavery  of  ignorance;  and 
will  sometimes  quote  the  verse  of  the  poet. 

"  Homo  sum  :  HUMANI  nil  a  me  alienum  puto  ;'* 

but  they  leave  it  to  others,  and  generally  to  the 
Christian  in  humble  life,  to  exercise  the  spirit 
of  that  noble  verse. — This  is  a  very  difficult 
problem  ;  and  it  has  been  alleged  by  some,  tliat 
it  cannot  be  solved  on  any  known  principles  of 
philosophy.  The  following  relation  will  proba- 
bly lead  to  principles  by  whicli  we  may  arrive 
at  a  solution. 

There  was  once  a  King  in  the  East,  whose 
empire  extended  over  the  known  world,  and  his 
dominion  "  was  to  the  end  of  the  earth,"  Du- 
ring the  former  part  of  his  reign,  his  heart  waa 
filled  with  pride;  he  knew  not  the  God  of  hea- 
ven ;  and  he  viewed  with  the  utmost  indiffe- 
rence the  nations  oyer  whom  he  ruled,  worship- 
ping idols  of  wood  and  stone.  But  it  pleased 
the   King  of  kings   to  dethrone   this  haughty 


Conclttstom    /  295 

monarch,  to  cast  him  down  from  his  high  estate, 
and  to  ahase  him  m  ,the  dust.  And  after  he 
had  been  for  a  time  in  the  furnace  of  affliction, 
and  Bis  proud  he^rt  M'as  humbled,  God  gra- 
ciously revealed  himself  to  him  in  his  true 
name  and  character,  and  then  restored  him  to 
his  former  prosperity  and  power.  The  peni- 
tent king  thus  once  more' exalted,  and  filled 
Hmiration  at  the  discpvery  of  the  bi^L'Y 
•^miediately  issueii' an  edivi't  to 
tiic  Vyl:uic  wo/  ,  sc't'-'^*  forth'  me  g*realiness 
of  the  Most  High,  urc rung  his  glory,  and 
inviting  all  nations  t  <  **  praise*  arid  magnify 
*'  HIM  that  liveth  for  ever,  whose  dominion 
"  is  an  ev;erlastin2:  dominion,  and  nis^ kingdom 
**  is  from. generation  to  generation.'  "  This  me- 
morable edict  began  in  tnqse  sublime  terrris :  -'' 
*' Nebuchadnezzar  THE  King)*' UNTO  alI 

"people,     nations,    and'  LANGUAdES,     that 

"dwell  in  all  the  earth,  Peace  be  riiulti- 
"  plied  unto  you.  I  thought  it  good  to  shew 
"the  signs  and  wonders  whieh  the  Most  rijgh 
**  Gpd  hath _ wrought  toward  me.  How' great 
**  are  his  signs!  How  miehty  are  his  wondersT 
Having  recounted  the  judgement  and  mercy  of 
God  to  himself,  he  thus  concludes ;  "  NdwT 
'*  Nebuchadnezzar,  praise  and  extol,  and  honour 
"  the  King  of  Heaven,  all  whose  works  are  truth. 


Lt 


294  €t)xMim\  Eeseardjes^ 


"  and  his  ways  judgement ;  and  them  that  walk 
"  in  pride  he  is  able  to  abase."* 

Such  a  proclamation    to   the  nations  of  the 
earth  was  a  noble  act  of  a  king,  and  ought  to 
lie  had,  in  perpetual  remembrance.     It  reminds 
us  of  the  last  charge  of  HIM  *'  who  ascended 
up  on   high :"    Go,  teach  all  nations.     It 
discovers  to  us  the  new  and  extended  benevo- 
lence, greatness  of  mind,  and  pure  arid  heavenly 
charit}',    which    distinguish   that   man,    whose 
Jieart  lias  been;  impressed  by  the  grace  of  God. 
Ho^  solemn  his  sense  of  duty  !    How  ardent  to 
declare  the  glory  of    his  Saviour!    His  views 
for  the, good  of   men,  how   disinterested   and 
enlarged  !^It  is  but  too  evident,  that  all  our 
speculations    concerning  a   divine    Revelation, 
and  the  obligation  imposed  on  us   to  study  it 
ourselves,  or  to  communicate  it  to  others,   are 
cold  and|  uninteresting,  and  excite  not  to  action, 
/^,  until,  through  the  tender  compassion  of  God, 
"  the  Day-spring  from  on  high  visit  us,  to  give 
'Might  Jto  them    that  sit   in    darkness  ;"t     to 
humble  ojir  hearts,  at  the  remembrance  of  our 
sins  against  dod,  and  to  affect  them  with  a  just 
aduiiration  of  his  pardoning  mercy. 

Let  Great  Britain  imitate  the  example  of  the 

f  Daniel^  4th  chapter.  f  Luke  ii.  79. 


Conclustan.  egs 

Chaldean  King  ;  and  send  forth  to  all  the  world, 
iiER  testimony  concerning  the  True  God.  She 
also  reigns  over  many  nations  which  "  worship 
idols  of  wood  and  stone."  Let  her  in  like  man- 
ner, declare  to  them  **  the  signs  and  wonders 
of  the  Almighty."  And,  in  this  design  every 
individual  will  concur,  of  every  church,  family, 
and  name,  whose  heart  has  been  penetrated 
*'^^  iust  apprehensions  of  the  Most  High  God; 
•  kT%,\  T  his  judgements  and  experienced 


THE    ENP. 


Kirby  Hall, 

Boroughhridge^  Yorkshir^y 

Feb,   15</i,  1811. 


G.  SlDNET,  Printer, 
Nonhumberiand  Street,  Strand, 


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